Super interesting, especially given China is arguably our chief global competitor and dare I say, adversary.
Some key points:
Labor rates have escalated over 10X in the last 13 years. China is no longer a place to find cheap labor.
China's population has the lowest birth rate in recorded history. By 2050 their population could fall in half. They are rapidly becoming a geriatric nation of retirees with insufficient workers to support such.
Their demographics mean they are totally dependent on exports to power their GDP. Not sufficient demand at home.
On the other hand, they need to import all their vital inputs. They import 70% of their oil. Ergo, their recent alliances with Putin and Saudi Arabia. They are also the largest importer of almost every other major global commodity.
They may talk a good game but have little naval presence. They don't have the ability to wage war on the high seas more than 150 miles away. Japan on the other hand, has the ability to enforce a naval blockade and seal China off from receiving vital supplies. Ergo, China doesn't have the military capability to take over Taiwan without getting whacked. This was not the case with Putin's advance on Ukraine.
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