Convergence of Events and Disastrous Policies Threaten the CCP

Beneath the Chinese Communist Party’s carefully managed image lies a series of structural challenges that may imperil its survival.

Security guards stand behind a glass door at the Great Hall of the People during the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing on March 6, 2024. Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images

Commentary

From the outside, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) appears monolithic—an ironclad political machine controlling the world’s second-largest economy and ruling more than 1.4 billion people with an iron fist. Beijing goes to great lengths to project an image of stability, discipline, and long-term strategic planning to both its people and the outside world.