Part 6/13:
China’s strength is its centralized, top-down planning and massive capital allocation toward infrastructure and AI application. With over half of the world's industrial robots installed domestically, China is becoming the leader in manufacturing automation. This acceleration is partly driven by necessity—dwindling domestic energy resources and aging populations are pushing China toward automation to sustain growth.
Yet, beneath the surface, China faces structural issues: rising inequality, real estate bubbles, financial debt, and a system that’s “brittle” if leadership wavers. Despite these challenges, China's resilience demonstrates flexibility and capacity for rapid adaptation.