[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

I tend to agree. Their dependence upon foreign trade could prove to be their Achilles' heel. Their internal problems may break their own back. Love him or hate him, Nixon helped to put them in this predicament.

However, even a wounded tiger is dangerous. My fear is that if they deteriorate from Cold War II as the Soviets did, they may well lob a couple nukes at our west coast. This they can now do, thanks to Bill Clinton and his co-president Hillary. If they didn't have nukes, we may not even have entered into Cold War II. It may have remained strictly a trade war.

[Frumious Bandersnatch]

I have to admit, I fear that they may pull an "Argentina" to focus their citizens away from where the problems really lie.

[GOP_1900AD]

RE: Their dependence upon foreign trade could prove to be their Achilles' heel.

What if they replaced exports to the US with exports to other countries in Asia (including Russia) and things sold internally? Also, do you thing that receivables for exports are the only things of value that they have derived from building goods consumed in the West? That last question needs to be considered carefully, and in light of the professed grand strategy of the PLA.