China is not going to become a liberal democracy; if it did, it would collapse. I do not believe you can impose on other countries standards which are alien and totally disconnected with their past.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
I don't think there's any serious discussion inside the Chinese government about liberalising. I don't think anything's going to change in China until enough Chinese say, 'We're not going to play this game any more.'
China has to go along with world trends. That's democracy, liberty, individual freedom. China sooner or later has to go that way. It cannot go backward.
I think they will never really enjoy true democracy in China.
Some people think that as the Chinese economy becomes more and more capitalistic it will inevitably become more democratic.
If we expose the Chinese to our freedoms, it may create a greater hunger for democracy, reform and liberties in China.
China no longer has an ideology that makes any sense to them, but what they do have is great pride in the Chinese nation.
Chinese people need to be controlled; otherwise, they will do whatever they want.
In 2008, Putin's message was, 'We aren't like a Central Asian republic, we aren't going to build a personalistic regime, we will have institutions.' This is all abolished now. The very idea of a governing party and party career, as you have in China, that didn't work.
I have been to China. I noticed that wherever you went, you could ask an ordinary citizen, and he would explain, in detail, about free markets and all the other jargon of liberalisation.
I believe I and all the Chinese people have such a conviction that China will make continuous progress and the people's wishes for and needs for democracy and freedom are irresistible.