Their market is much more Capitalist than it is Socialist. Partly because they allow the market to determine prices. Either way the way the state runs the economy is certainly Capitalist. That economy, if your claims are correct, is the economy that has pulled so many people out of poverty. Not a very good representation of a true Socialist economy. So while the economy might belong to a Socialist nation, it is still state run Capitalism that is doing so much good for China. So my statement that Capitalism has pulled more people out of poverty than any other system still holds true.
I had stated more on many occasions that there is no such thing as pure capitalism, socialism, communism, or whatever. Each nation's economy will be a hybrid of some combination. Not all socialist-like nations are the same, as it is the extent of balance between what economic ideological -isms that will determine their differences. In China's case, they have adopted much market reforms since Deng Xiaoping, but as any American warhawk will say, the Communist Party is still all-powerful and calls the shots on everything, which it does. Hence, China's macroeconomy predominately follows and bears the hallmarks of socialism where the government does control the money supply, fiscal policy, domestic interest rates, and their foreign exchange rates. In the microeconomic arena, China's government has nationalized some of its large and strategic corporations and does have great say in what kind of businesses are allowed in its economy, while exercising price and tax controls. Consequently, it is not the free market, but China's socialist led / free market balance that has led its nation to alleviate poverty in their country as well as positioned themselves to overtake the US in GDP later in this century.
How is China forcing IP from our companies fair? How is their stealing state secrets fair? How is their stealing corporate secrets fair? How is their incorporating hidden parts in their hardware that can be used for spying fair? How is their signing agreements with the US and then not playing by the terms that they signed fair? So what exactly are you referring to that China has a commitment to a fair playing field even mean? With all the unfair practices that China has committed in the past I really don’t know what you are speaking of? Please be specific.
The fair playing field I referred is that of within their national borders. The examples you raise above are nation to nation competition on the Global stage and, despite the WTO, are almost impossible to regulate. However, I will offer that all of the corporate espionage that China is accused, no other nation is innocent, especially the US, who has its own electronic backdoors in the many computer software and hardware used by us all.
To get back to our discussion regarding equal opportunities and social disparity, I will ask you then if the Communist Party members have the exact same opportunities as the average citizen? Based on historical records the party members ALWAYS have more benefits and opportunities than the average citizen. How about those high up in the government? Do they have more benefits and opportunities than the average citizen? Or even the average party member? Does the average citizen in a big city have the exact same opportunities as the average farmer in the remote areas of China? In a Communist country, you are told what you can and cannot do. So how can the farmer, who hates farming and wants to move to the big city do that if he is forced to be a farmer? What are the farmers opportunities exactly?
Families in any government always share in perks that are not afforded to the general populace. Agriculture in China is a protected industry and farmers do receive subsidies from the government. Young people from rural areas actually have advantages made possible by the government to leave their rural areas and make a living in the major cities. The most notable is that of higher education, which is very fierce and competitive in China. Similar in the US every Fall, there are only a number of slots open in the universities and colleges. Hence, to balance the playing field, a number of open slots at every institution are mandatory allotted to those applicants coming from poor and rural areas, at lower entrance exam scores. Many of my Chinese classmates and colleagues have expressed displeasure with this system, but will not deny that it is indeed necessary to give those rural poor families with little or no chance for social mobility in a free market system, a way for them to move up in social class.
We as the citizens of the US have an opportunity to better ourselves. And even become millionaires. How many in a Communist nation have that same opportunity? Especially if they can only work the job they are told to work all of their lives?
I don't think that there is any argument that any pure capitalist, socialist, or communist led economies will fail in the long-run. Is social mobility easier in China than the US, I don't know. However, when compared to the US, if I am not mistaken, China's socialist based market economy has a faster growing number of millionaires.
I’m glad we can disagree.
I am even more glad we can have a really good discussion for all to learn, despite our differences.