China is 'outwardly strong, but inwardly weak', says expert

Beijing [China], February 12 (ANI): Contrary to the claims made to the outside world of so-called stability, China is "outwardly strong, but inwardly weak," says Garside Roger Garside, author of "China Coup".
Garside, who served twice at the British Embassy in Beijing, states that China's internal factors could destabilize the current regime. This comes as the Chinese President Xi Jinping is attempting to secure a third consecutive term as CCP Chairman at the National Party Congress this year.
Garside said this current regime of President Xi has been spending more of its budget on internal security than it has on the military. "It fears its internal enemies".
The author believes that a group of Communist leaders might stage an internal coup against Chinese leader Xi Jinping, and transition China to a democratic political system. "The body politic of China is terminally ill. Only a transplant can save the body politic, and the only other system on offer is competitive democracy," Garside, a former diplomat, told The Epoch Times.
According to Garside, the high-level leadership in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), believe that Xi is taking China in a "very risky and dangerous" direction. CCP leaders including Premier Li Keqiang, believe that Xi is jeopardizing their wealth and power, along with the future of the CCP.
Claiming the CCP leaders are plotting against the Chinese leader, the author adds further adds that some indications of the CCP's vulnerability could enable such a coup.
Aside from the political front, another internal factor is China's private sector has become powerful and autonomous. According to Garsid, this has been putting pressure on the CCP, causing anxiety among the country's leadership.
"Alibaba raised $24 billion on the New York Stock Exchange; 248 other companies have raised billions of dollars out of the control of the Communist Party, beyond their capital exchange control, beyond their political control," he noted. "Those companies can use that money to turn round and buy politicians in China, and rivals to Xi Jinping," he added.
According to Garside, the declining property sector, led by Evergrande, is another factor that could empower officials to launch a coup.
While it looks like Xi holds all the power, the CCP structure has numerous "power centres" in regional and local governments, Garside said "Xi Jinping does not hold all the power. He has very astutely and skillfully centralized authority into his own hands," he added. (ANI)