Yet the letter’s hackneyed argument and its disregard for the truth does not stand up to scrutiny. Before Trump started his forceful confrontation with China, these signatories could be seen as members of the US’ China policy establishment. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) never cared about democracy and free markets — and still does not. Its economic reform strategy mainly aims to consolidate state capitalism and to intervene in the market with state power. As China renounces universal values such as democracy, freedom and human rights, it is becoming more determined to move toward autocratic dictatorship.

Source: Taipei Times July 26, 2019 16:04 UTC