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Re:Why fewer university students are studying Mandarin by jamesaurichs on Friday August 25, 2023 @10:07PM (#37269291)
If there are any business to do in China in the next 10-20 years. Foreign investment in China is down 90% this year. Again, international travel in China is down 97% this year. Apparently everyone else except hacker news readers are aware of the shift.
Re:Why fewer university students are studying Mandarin by endisneigh on Friday August 25, 2023 @10:27PM (#37269391)
Such hyperbole. If you seriously think there will be no foreign business activity in China in twenty years let’s bet real cash on that.

It is true that China like most countries at some point is experiencing a crisis at the moment.

As an aside, I think Xi needs to go. Deng Xiaoping’s strategy was better imho. The semi-planned economy approach has worked surprisingly well for now but it’s clear it’s running out of steam. China has already suffered greatly due to such a strategy before.

Re:Why fewer university students are studying Mandarin by nradov on Friday August 25, 2023 @11:53PM (#37269803)
The CCP leadership doesn't care what you think. Xi seems fairly healthy. He could be in power for decades to come. We need to plan around the expectation of a new Cold War with China and declining foreign trade.
Re:Why fewer university students are studying Mandarin by idrios on Saturday August 26, 2023 @12:57AM (#37270060)
I can't cite numbers but I don't think it's hyperbole. A friend of mine recently did her Master's thesis on the effects of Covid on international business in Guangzhou. She interviewed a number of business owners and the consensus was basically that a lot of businesses that shut down because of Covid don't seem to be coming back, with most seeming worried about Taiwan.

But still, there was one business owner arguing that there's never been a better time to do business with China because it's cheaper right now, so who knows what will actually happen.