Good evening. China’s demographic crisis is not without opportunity for entrepreneurs. The billionaire Chen Dongsheng, for instance, has moved his Taikang Life empire into the business of luxury retirement homes. But while China’s nascent ‘silver economy’ would seem to be a gold mine for early entrants, our cover story this week explores why the industry is still far from a sure bet for many.
Elsewhere, we have infographics on China’s growing Gulf financing; an interview with Seth Jones, an international security expert at CSIS, on rebuilding the U.S. defense base; a reported piece on why Xi Jinping’s high hopes for Hainan seem to be fading; and an op-ed from Angela Huyue Zhang on round two of Trump vs. China. If you’re not already a paid subscriber to The Wire, please sign up here.
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Senior Moment
China’s demographics are poised to create a new ‘silver economy’ — but industry insiders say the nascent sector is still far from a sure bet. Yi Liu reports.
The Big Picture: China’s Growing Gulf Financing
China’s bond sale in Riyadh this week caps a year marked by accelerating Gulf investments on the mainland. This week’s infographics by Noah Berman look at the closer ties.
A Q&A with Seth Jones
Seth Jones, president of the Defense and Security Department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and a former senior official in the U.S. Department of Defense, says that each of the components of the U.S. defense base, including the Oval Office, Congress, and the private sector, is unprepared for the mounting China threat. His March report on the topic, “Rebuilding the Arsenal of Democracy,” warns that without major changes, “the United States risks weakening deterrence and undermining its warfighting capabilities against China and other competitors.” In this week’s interview with Noah Berman, he talks about how China is catching up to the U.S., how the U.S. could rebuild its defense base, and whether both sides are gearing toward war.
Seth Jones
Illustration by Lauren Crow
High Hopes for Hainan Fade
Beijing’s plans for China’s southerly island province to become a thriving free trade zone and hub for foreign investment are falling short of expectations. Yi Liu reports.
Trump vs. China, Round Two
U.S. presidents have had a remarkably free hand to escalate tensions with China, and Donald Trump is likely to continue in that vein, says Angela Huyue Zhang in this week’s op-ed.
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