After the Fall: What If China Becomes a Democracy?

A police officer stands guard before the closing session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on March 10, 2022. Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

Commentary

While the Chinese regime is not in danger of falling, but at a time when the rule of Xi Jinping is under strain, it is a useful thought experiment to consider a post-communist China and what opportunities this would present for the United States and its allies.

China as a Democracy

If China were democratic, it would likely be a parliamentary, multiparty democracy with strong and distinctive leftist, center, and rightist political parties. In contrast to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) today, the legitimacy of its political system would be considered and recognized by the West as the rightful representative government of the Chinese people. A democratic China would have a better human rights record for the Chinese population, including ethnic and religious minorities.