Un-Diplomatic

Un-Diplomatic

The Chinese “Consumption Problem” Problem

Un-Diplomatic
Aug 04, 2025
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Just a quick, wonky missive on China.

One of the crucial analytical claims in arguments about China is its underconsumption, which sometimes gets conflated with overcapacity.

Although rarely mentioned prior to the pandemic, during the Biden era, underconsumption became a way to express a sense of scandal about China as a novel threat. As someone who was…

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