On Feb 1, 2026, at 2:26 PM, James Lowder <lowderjf@gmail.com> wrote:
Spot on, Marc, but the CCP suffers from much more than a case of Asian "saving face." Putin has the same problem. The problem is inherently endemic to dictatorships, especially communist dictatorships.
On Sat, Jan 31, 2026 at 7:14 PM Marc Liebman <marc@marcliebman.com> wrote:
My gut tells me that the PRC’s economy is very fragile. It is a one trick pony that is built on exports. Cut off the PRC from its markets and the economy collapses. Plus, unrest occurs from those who are cut off from their cast stashed overseas.
Next problem. The PRC’s centrally driven economy doesn’t have the market and government management processes to deal with financial crises. Right now, they have way overbuilt apartments and now, thanx to the one child policy, no one to fill them.
Third problem. There’s no one, media, or businesses, or government agencies who will tell the Central Committee of the CCP that they have screwed up. This is part of the face problem, but also the culture that the CCP is always right.
This is why the PLA/PLAN/PLAAF will continue to poster and poke sharp sticks at Taiwan, Japan, PI and us. To me, they are distractions while they attempt to subvert our society and economy. Yesterday, the identified a U.S. Citizen living in Shanghai with deep connection to Ministry of State Security who is funding much of the arrest in MN…. I think this is the tip of the iceberg. He’s untouchable, but we can convict him in absentia and yank his citizenship.
From: Brian Miller <brianjmiller1977@gmail.com>
Date: Saturday, January 31, 2026 at 8:48 AM
To: Marc Liebman <marc@marcliebman.com>
Cc: James Lowder <lowderjf@gmail.com>, HeloBubbas <helobubbas@helobubbas.com>
Subject: Re: [Helobubbas] Re: Laterst on PRC/Taiwan from ISW
I can’t help but think that this looks very familiar to a situation much closer to home. I lost contact with China, so I really can’t have an opinion, but there is no doubt on my mind that Chinese oligarchs have been washing their money through our country for a long time. Other countries as well, to be fair. History tells us that politicians, reporters and other civil servants can be bought cheap. The mob has run whole cities like this.
Once the people paid to protect us from fraud and extortion figure out they can run the same racket on a national level, then form what are essentially cartels, this is exactly where we are now.
On Fri, Jan 30, 2026 at 9:00 PM Marc Liebman <marc@marcliebman.com> wrote:
What Xi is tinkering with is the CCP’s control over the population. Anything that puts that hegemony at risk will be looked with a jaundiced eye by the Central Committee. While Xi may have “his people” in key roles, is crack down on corruption is also taking money out of some the pockets of several powerful members of the Central Committee.
Worse, anything that would bring sanctions down on the PRC that would restrict access to money abroad will affect their stashes of cash in Western banks. It is also risks cutting off entrepreneurs in the Special Economic Zones who have commercial relationships with companies outside the PRC and who hide their wealth outside the PRC, well away from the prying eyes of the Ministry of State Security.
From: James Lowder <lowderjf@gmail.com>
Date: Friday, January 30, 2026 at 10:15 AM
To: Marc Liebman <marc@marcliebman.com>
Cc: HeloBubbas <helobubbas@helobubbas.com>
Subject: Re: [Helobubbas] Laterst on PRC/Taiwan from ISW
It may already be backfiring, Marc. Apparently there was sort of a "last will and testament" letter left behind by Zhang, and there have possibly been gunfights in the street between factions.
On Fri, Jan 30, 2026 at 11:36 AM Marc Liebman <marc@marcliebman.com> wrote:
The purges could backfire on Xi and make him much too powerful for the other folks within the politburo, military and CCP leadership.
Marc Liebman
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Best regards,
Jim
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Best regards,Jim