A look inside China: Is this the most sovereign country on Earth?

What is life like in China? How does its economy work? Is it obsessed with censorship, or actually defending its sovereignty against foreign interference? Journalist Ben Norton discusses his experience living in the country.

Topics
0:00 Why I moved to China
1:34 China's remarkable economic growth
2:24 The most sovereign country?
4:32 Technological sovereignty
7:40 Dangers of a new cold war
9:28 An unnecessary disclaimer
11:35 Unprecedented economic development
19:33 China's unique sovereignty
23:32 De-industrialization
24:42 China's sovereign social media space
28:28 China's sovereign technological space
31:20 Digitalization of the economy
34:09 Phones
36:29 Cars and computers
39:08 US sanctions and tech war
41:16 Censorship, or digital tariffs?
46:59 Problems
47:31 Energy security and green transition
50:42 Food security
52:15 Debt
54:18 Inequality
55:48 Democracy?
59:14 Protecting sovereignty is not isolationism
59:55 Export- or consumption-based model?
1:05:05 Comparative advantage: a critique
1:19:30 Outro

|| Geopolitical Economy Report ||

[dew]

Welcome to China! I'm a Canadian doing my PhD in engineering in China. It still astounds me how insanely advanced China is, it's no wonder why China is such a hotspot on the Western radar.

[zeissiez]

I worked in China between 1998-2016, and now living a semi-retired life in ChongQing. During my 25 years stay in China, I have the privilege to witness one of the greatest developments in human history. The CPC has been a foresighted, responsible and competent government. Sure, from time to time they make mistakes, but rarely I see them repeat the same mistakes.

[jow]

My dad went back to China last year for a short vacation and encountered a ticket system issue on a bus (he accidentally inserted coin into a ticket slot) due to the poor instruction and he decided to call the support line. He immediately got a call back from the hotline, got an apology, and a promise to fix the problem. Boom, 4 days later, he found that they put a Big Printed Sign next to the ticket system emphasizing the instruction. He then got another call from the hotline from another person just to check if he was satisfied with the improvement. This is what China is turning into, guys. Compared to the US "I don't give a damn about your shit so suck it up", this is what's happening in China right now. We need some reflection here.

[Faye_Liu]

''Is China the most sovereign country on Earth?'' As a Chinese, my answer is a definite yes. But if the Western powers haven't been so aggressive towards China since recent past, it probably wouldn't be. And also, in terms of retaining its unique cultural identity China has definitely done well, I hope it will be kept this way by future generations.

[maniaouri]

Hi Ben, I watch your video to the end, and based on my personal experience of living and doing business in China for the last 20 years, I can confidently say that if western society has the same perspective of viewing China as you do, the entire world would had been able to enjoy peace prosperity and progress, instead of the unpredictable situation of today due to warmongering maniacs having the ambitions of dominating humanity. Once again thank you for sharing your ideas that will help many people to accept the reality that China is indeed contributing to a better world.

[neverminelee]

I am genuinely impressed by the depth and clarity that Ben brought to his video, "A look inside China: Is this the most sovereign country on Earth?" This comprehensive analysis not only dispels the often skewed and negative portrayal of China in the Western media but also provides a nuanced understanding of the decisions made by the Chinese government.

Ben skillfully navigates through the complex issues surrounding China, addressing the bans on platforms like Google, YouTube, WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter. His articulate explanation sheds light on the motivations behind these decisions, going beyond the surface-level narratives that are all too common in mainstream media. It's refreshing to see someone take the time to unravel the complexities and present a more balanced perspective.

The video not only challenges misconceptions but encourages viewers to question the prevailing narratives and seek a deeper understanding of China's unique socio-political landscape. The thorough research and thoughtful presentation are commendable, making this piece a standout contribution to fostering global understanding.

In a world often polarized by misinformation, Ben's work serves as a beacon of truth-seeking journalism. The dedication to presenting the real China, free from biased lenses, is something that should be applauded. I sincerely hope that more content creators take inspiration from this approach, promoting dialogue and cooperation between cultures.

Congratulations to Ben for producing such an exceptional and illuminating piece of work. It's a reminder that, in our interconnected world, it's crucial to approach information with an open mind and a willingness to explore beyond preconceived notions. Here's to more content that challenges us to think critically and fosters a more informed global community! 👏🌐🔍

[HKChineseCanadian]

The world is beating a path to China. It is not just the place to do business but to live. Congratulations Ben. Moving to China will bring you much joy.

[mattgage]

I’ve been living in China for the past two years. Best move I ever made, I LOVE it here. I live in Shenzhen.

[chrissy]

I’ve been born in Germany. I grew up influenced by the media about China which has led me to be ashamed and appalled by China bc I believed in that authoritarian dystopian narrative. It’s only after noticing how the mass media reported on Gaza and Israel, I had the courage to look into the anti-China news as well. It was an interesting research journey. It felt like loosing an identity and I couldn’t believe that western media was in fact not objective or neutral. All of the things I have realized have been summarized amazingly in this video. I have planned on collecting all my evidence myself and report it to people. But luckily I have found ur video and channel now. I can happily share this video then, as I know that everything you’ve mentioned is factually correct.

[sigyul]

Bravo! Ben.
Unlike most sub-standard Chinese experts from the US and the Western worlds, who are illiterate in Chinese, spend no or very little time in China, yet have the audacity to self claim to be an Chinese expert, you plant your feet on the ground in the real world, learn the language, learn about its culture, people and systems etc. Your experiences lend more credence to your perspectives and opinions. As an eloquent English native speaker, you can better explain the Chinese systems to the English dominant media and audience. I admire and salute your efforts.
Best of luck in your journey. I look forward to more reporting and analysis from you.

[errgoseven]

Ben, your decision to pursue a PhD in economics in China is truly inspiring. Just as your insightful analysis has enriched the field of journalism, I'm confident that your contributions to economics will be equally impactful. Wishing you every success in this new chapter of your academic and professional journey - the global community will no doubt benefit from your passion and expertise. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to enlightening and informing us all.

[maggiema]

Your analysis about China is so deep and accurate, thank you sincerely for doing this. As a Chinese lived in Europe for almost 10 years I couldn’t bear with the double standards and hypocrisy of western politicians, so I followed my heart and returned home last August and I am so happy I did, the quality of life is better and I am so positive about the future, hope you have great time here too ❤

[handstandish]

Ben, good news to hear you moved to China. I live in Australia and the anti-Chinese garbage fills television, social media and newspapers. The Australian Army has just started filling Facebook with recruitment adverts. Sickening propaganda. Keep up the great work Ben Norton.

[mijunhong]

A big round of applause for hitting the nail on the head, which is China gaining and maintaining sovereignty in all its aspects. This has been arduously achieved since the hundred years of humiliation started, culminating in the founding of the People’s Republic in 1949. The Communist Party has been the driving force in all of this, whose founder Mao has been so much vilified in the West to this day. In contrast, the majority of Chinese people regard him as their great savior and teacher. Their current leader Xi is carrying this vision to the rest of the world under the banner of “a community with a shared future for mankind” and through the Belt and Road Initiative. It’s time for the people around the world to rise and say yes to sovereignty and no to all forms of monopoly and colonization. China is leading the way.

[alenev]

Four years ago, we made a life-changing decision. We left the familiarity of the West, a place we once called home, and embarked on a journey towards the East, towards China. We believed that the West was the past and China was the future. We yearned for a society where unity and collective progress were valued over individualism, where the common good was not overshadowed by personal gain.

We were disillusioned by the western ideals of “democracy and freedoms” which, in our experience, often led to selfishness becoming the social norm. We wanted more for ourselves and for future generations of our family. So, we made the bold decision to become Chinese citizens.

Life in China has been good, secure, and convenient. People here work not only for their personal advancement but also for the progress of their country. We wanted to be part of this collective effort, to contribute to the country’s growth while enjoying the fruits of its security and affluence.

Our family couldn’t be happier in this modern, dynamic country. Every day, we are reminded that we made the right choice. We are proud to call China our home and excited about what the future holds for us here.

[Faye_Liu]

Even though China has its own internet (information/social) platforms, the Chinese have good understandings of the West and the rest of the world, the only ''down side'' is many have no idea how anti China Western media is... Chinese own media follows government policy, no malicious lies, smears, spins and sensationalising and no deliberate misinformation, just neutral statements of facts when it comes to reporting about the US/West.

[rosam]

I really enjoyed this presentation. As an African, I dream of the potential Africa has (the vast land mass, internal market size, natural resources, & human resources) to mirror China's model & become even better. But there are 2 problems...
1. Western economic stranglehold by clandestine policies of the WTO, World Bank, & IMF that stop African industrialization.
2. Fragmentation into 54 sovereign governments that are individually weak, but not willing to collapse into one nation. This lack of political will is also complicated by the vast ethnic diversity that's not easy to galvanize. Thankfully, the youth think differently.

[morgan]

I'm an American who lived in China for 9 years. Loved it. I enjoyed the safety, the easy access affordable health care, great infrastructure, and endless opportunities. You're going to have a great life.

[easonqin]

Let me tell you a little thing about my hometown in China.Maybe you can experience a small part of Chinese life.
Four months ago (6/2023), Nanning City introduced new parking price standards. it was resulted some people's parking fees over 100 CNY (around 15 USD) per a day.
This incident spread quickly in the Chinese media. Two weeks later, higher-level governments heard about the incident and put pressure on the Nanning city government.
The Nanning city government quickly canceled this unreasonable policy and immediately launched an investigation into the officials involved in the incident.
Another week later, the mayor of Nanning publicly apologized at a press conference, and 7 government officials were lost their jobs. From that day the highest parking fee in Nanning City is 50 CNY (around 7.5 USD) per a day, first half hour and 8pm-8am is free.
In just 3 weeks, the government made the most reasonable price. 7 government officials lost their jobs who make the unreasonable prices.

i'm not kidding, THINGS LIKE THIS HAPPEN ALL THE TIME IN CHINA
Things happen ->People are angry -> Government hears ->Government changes quickly ->Government officials are censored ->Incident resolved->99% people get happy after 21 days later
This is true Chinese democracy.
51% beat the other 49%, and the 49% had to wait another 8 years. This is not democracy chinese want.

[untilcrazy]

A warm and big welcome to your move to China Ben. Your shows are brilliant and certainly among the best I've seen: very detailed analytical, original, very ample substantiations... just great (especially enjoyed your episode about the US dropping atomic bombs in Japan being unnecessary).

China has been a country so unfairly portrayed by the collective west as evil. China is now rising simultaneously with a major claim to legitimacy, against all the badmouthing, fake news, and defamation. This is hard work against the prevailing Western propaganda that seriously distorted our world. Please keep up the good work and combat in this intense cognitive war against the evil propaganda to bring back genuiine global justice.

All best greetings from Hong Kong, J.