Not “regime change” at all.
Very unhelpful characterization.
Just serious “behavior change”. Which has never been seen before.
“Not “regime change” at all... Just serious “behavior change”.”
It could well be, that threats of regime change through mobilizing public opinion in China, is just a very sensitive pressure point for the CCP, and that our Administration is using it to bring their behavior into line.
Even if effective, it is ultimately only a partial solution, and clearly temporary. The Chinese communist Party is fundamentally the problem. Their very basis is the amoral pursuit of power.
Targeting that problem, through agitation of the Chinese public against them, could cover a spectrum of action and effects, from a low level of daily messaging that can be throttled according to their behavior, like Pavlovian conditioning with rewards/punishments, or it could extend to a final solution to the CCP problem. Regime change is difficult and likely costly, but long term, there are huge cost savings, Globally.
“Very unhelpful characterization.”
Gordon Chang hates Chinese communist oppression. No doubt about his bias.
Clearly, regime change is the third rail of sensitivity for the CCP, and touching that will engender a lot of (maybe the most) reaction from them. So tactically, that reaction can be expected to interfere with/overwhelm many ongoing efforts, at many levels. Operational risks will skyrocket for those on the ground.
But if the goal is to Strategically solidify an International coalition, to pursue a Strategic solution to the problem of Chinese aggression/misbehavior, by getting rid of communist rule, then it will take public leadership by the USA to broach the taboo on mentioning the fundamental evil and corruption of the CCP - their essential illegitimacy.
The CCP Emperor has no clothes. No legitimacy, no morality - and in fact poses an inherent existential threat to freedom everywhere. Someone has to be the first to point this out, but everyone is shy of the predictable response from the ChiComs.
Can’t win, if you are afraid to fight. Opposing communist oppression is just the right thing to do. We need to do it, if for no other reason, just to base our own position on a firm foundation.
Let’s hope that if American leadership steps up to take on this evil Leviathan, before it consolidates enough wealth and technology to dominate and subjugate all of humanity into an Orwellian hierarchy of Police States, that we will do so to its finish, and not just needlessly burn our assets with shifting, ineffective half measures.
Freeing China from communist oppression could very well mean saving humanity from communist oppression - which would be a truly glorious accomplishment. Really doing the Lord’s work.