When did they overthrow their Communist government? If they were a free people, they wouldn't be such a great source of dirt-cheap labor. They're even cheaper than Mexicans -- and Mexicans work for less than $0.50 an hour.
Yes, do tell. Last I looked, the government was still in charge of economic planning; the country was still governed by a one-party "cadre," and any dissent from the ruling hegemony was met by imprisonment (as laogai contract slave labor) or death. What did I miss?
I never said they were free. You'll note I mentioned the words totalitarian and dictatorship.
It's simply that I believe that from Deng Xiao'Ping onwards they've been more pragmatic. They've kept the absolute power and the unifying icons, propaganda, etc of communism and started trying to make money hand over fist by deregulating.
No one is allowed to rock the boat politically, but people are allowed to go for private property, to make money and to invest in projects they choose and design themselves.
You won't get arrested for being rich now although you will for political activity.
This was all helped when Deng helped their military realise that Communist economics would keep them huge and thirdworld in nature whereas by supporting his scheme they could modernise faster and the army could run their own moneymaking capitalist schemes to fund expanmsion. At which they're doing quite well.
China is communist now to the same extent that Iraq was democratic when Saddam won his election the year before last with 99.6% or whatever it was.
Dictatorship yes, communist no.
Its a state with rapidly expanding economic freedoms and rigiddly controlled political activity.