Very persuasive cogent erudite elucidation.

Yes the chinese could introduce a form of democracy, even with a single party that provided all the candidates!? And where aspiring CCP candidates could seek the people's prerogative on well argued policy platforms, personality, previous performance and or merit?

Even so not much of a change nor dramatically so? And maybe more democratic than the very best (from the west) democracy that money can buy? And a way to manage essential change for the better, without changing too much?
Alan B.

China's leaders are thoroughly corrupt, and will fiercely resist any attempt to make them accountable to the people. So far they can fool enough of the people enough of the time, but that situation can't continue for ever.

Or, if the Communist party of China wanted to eat the cake and have it too, then they could adopt the Australian system, split their party in half and allow the ordinary Chinese vassals to select every few years between Tweedledum and Tweedledee.

Yuyutsu, that's something they've seriously considered, and it would be an enormous improvement as it would enable the rule of law to override the rule of the party. But as I said, it's something they're strongly opposed to. The corrupt never want accountability.

Dear Aidan,

Where did you mention that they are opposed to this idea?

And why would this, which is essentially a propaganda-exercise, be any improvement?

I never meant that they become in fact accountable to anybody, only that they will split exactly in half and each half will wear a different-coloured hat. They will of course stage some mild scuffles between the two halves, just to pretend that they are different, but at the end they will remain the exact same and united party, just like here, laughing all the way to the bank.

Tianmen " Heavenly Peace" was the affirmation of emperors' godly mandate written in the stars as on the flag. Lee Kuan Yew began as a communist, merged to socialism and swung hard right. Czar Putin and Emperor Xi have people who are used to lofty authority but now having a tech level suited to imperial visions. Democracy is really a minor abnormality.