the society is moving forward, can't be turned back, ccp control on citizens can only be weaker and weaker, don't let the short period of xi discourage you too much. and his rule is not that solid at all. opponents are just waiting for good timing.

the ccp can only try to lead people, but anything remotely like mao's time, forget it, even in NK, kim3 had to make lot of compromises.

ccp worries about people's reaction so much that many times good sensible policies can not get done, such as estate tax, trash burning, GMO, PX...

on many things i have a feeling that nowadays west love to talk about poliitcs way more than chinese. it used to be the reverse, in 80's and early 90's ccp worried a lot about west motive when doing buisness in china, now it is reverse, on confucius, BRI, huawei. now this nba thing, ccp officlas just scratch their heads, what is wrong with this morey guy, his team is widely hot in china, why he had to do this to us? i ma sure lot sof chinese (and many nba players, officlas) wonder the same thing.