I’m not talking about just the past or history. China as of today is *not* “gaining” freedom. The government is getting more strict, not less. Xi just became dictator for life, even though it does not matter anyway as the Commie’s rule everything. The government is cracking down on freedom of speech even harder, limiting what they can read, see, and hear. They are cracking down on every facet of Chinese life.
We will have to disagree. I have had discussions with Chinese students here and their expectations of the of their government in the future are very interesting.
For example, early on, the government owned all the housing and paid the maintenance which even the Chinese government learned didn’t work. So they leased purchased to the people. Maintenance improved and I think the leases end approx 2020. In their mind they own it, have worked hard for it, and aren’t going to give it up easily.
There are a lot of things under the radar that are not in the common media. Time will tell.