1. "we see 2020 is a down year as well, even though the official data claims that China grew”. China's stats are rock solid. We have accumulated 70 years of them and have yet to find one that does not match observed reality. See Kevin Phillips' 'Numbers Racket' for a thorough debunking of this dying meme. https://harpers.org/archive/2008/05/numbers-racket/
2. "There has been a lot of unrest at the business level about the inability for the Chinese state to provide the electricity needed to keep the factories running”. No, there hasn't been, because the Chinese know this: “Nothing in world climatic history even minimally comparable to what is happening in China.” Weather historian Maximiliano Herrera says the intensity, duration and extent of China’s current heatwave makes it the most severe heatwave ever recorded anywhere. “This combines the most extreme intensity with the most extreme length with an incredibly huge area all at the same time”. In that light, China is managing brilliantly.
3. "you're already seeing foreign capital starting to leave China”. No, you're not. You're seeing the FDI trend of recent years continue: H1 inward FDI is up a record 17.5% YoY.
4. "As they showed in 2019, [China] can turn the water off for downstream countries”. No again. The riparian state governments' Mekong River Commission report that China did not 'turn off' anything.
Any recommendations for sights while in Athens? Travelling there later this year.
Fascinating point of view. A few quibbles:
1. "we see 2020 is a down year as well, even though the official data claims that China grew”. China's stats are rock solid. We have accumulated 70 years of them and have yet to find one that does not match observed reality. See Kevin Phillips' 'Numbers Racket' for a thorough debunking of this dying meme. https://harpers.org/archive/2008/05/numbers-racket/
2. "There has been a lot of unrest at the business level about the inability for the Chinese state to provide the electricity needed to keep the factories running”. No, there hasn't been, because the Chinese know this: “Nothing in world climatic history even minimally comparable to what is happening in China.” Weather historian Maximiliano Herrera says the intensity, duration and extent of China’s current heatwave makes it the most severe heatwave ever recorded anywhere. “This combines the most extreme intensity with the most extreme length with an incredibly huge area all at the same time”. In that light, China is managing brilliantly.
3. "you're already seeing foreign capital starting to leave China”. No, you're not. You're seeing the FDI trend of recent years continue: H1 inward FDI is up a record 17.5% YoY.
4. "As they showed in 2019, [China] can turn the water off for downstream countries”. No again. The riparian state governments' Mekong River Commission report that China did not 'turn off' anything.