China is strong but also weak. China may be the second most powerful country, economically and militarily. But politically it is very weak. The China under Mao was poor and militarily very weak, actually a poverty infested country, lacked of everything. But it did not lack the will to stand up to fight for its rights and dignity. After the Korean War, no one dared to threaten China anymore. But that was the past when Mao was around. Gradually, over the years, China started to adopt a meek policy, initially out of necessity when it needed the world for its technology and economic development. Some how, this mentality has been stuck with the the new leadership.
Today's China, though very strong in every aspect, is a punching bag even for Mickey Mouse states. No need to elaborate who are the Mickey Mouse attacking and humiliating China everyday. And China's response is always words, red lines, return to the right path, and nothing else. And the Mickey Mouse knows that this is China, all words and sounds, like firecrackers.
Recently there are some signs that China is starting to exert itself, but not much. What happened in Venezuela is a big slap in China's face. What happened in the South China Sea is too embarrassing to even talk about it. What is happening in Taiwan is so shameful.
China has shown to the world that it cannot be relied on as a protector of its friends and allies. It cannot even protect the safety of patriotic Chinese in Taiwan, allowing a traitor Lai Ching Te to harass them and put them to jail. China can only watch lamely from across the Strait, and still dare to claim Taiwan is Chinese territory. What you cannot protect is NOT yours.
Now Iran is likely the final test. Venezuela may be a bridge too far. The math is against China. Iran is a separate category. Russia was slammed with the loss of Syria by being weak. Will China be like Russia and lose Iran? For China to lose Iran, it will lose the whole game. Everything China is planning and doing to restructure the world economy and financial system will go to naught.
China needs a Mao Zedong to face the harsh and lawless world being controlled by the evil American Empire, and to bash the Mickey Mouse till their faces turn blue black. The current purge of Zhang Yuxia and Liu Zhenli may be a turning point to see China behaving like a real superpower. China needs to stop the China bashing and humiliation by the Mickey Mouse once for all and by rogue Trump.
Mao Zedong will have stopped it. Otherwise, China standing up is meaningless. Just accept to be called the Sick Man of Asia all over again. Look at the mamasan...she has no respect for China. And so are all the Japanese. The Japanese don't respect weakness, don't respect losers. The Japanese will NEVER apologise to a weak China.
中国既强大又脆弱。中国或许是世界第二大强国，无论在经济还是军事上都是如此。但在政治上，它却非常软弱。毛泽东时代的中国贫穷落后，军事实力薄弱，实际上是一个贫困不堪、物资匮乏的国家。但它并不缺乏为争取自身权利和尊严而奋斗的意志。朝鲜战争之后，没有人敢再威胁中国。但那已是毛泽东时代的过去。多年来，中国逐渐开始采取一种温和的政策，最初是出于无奈，因为当时中国需要世界提供技术和经济发展所需的资源。不知何故，这种心态一直延续到了新一代领导人身上。