Taiwan’s ‘China Monitoring Report’ warns of social friction as economy sags

Economy

Beijing’s ‘Stalin-style purges’ affect governing capacity, independent experts say

Shanghai’s financial district: Researchers in Taiwan have developed dozens of monitoring indicators to understand China’s political, economic and social conditions. © Reuters

THOMPSON CHAU

January 23, 2026 08:03 JST

TAIPEI — China’s prolonged economic weakness could fuel social discontent, erode public confidence and further undermine the social contract that has underpinned “reform and opening up” of the world’s No. 2 economy for decades, contends a report released Friday in Taiwan.