China's outperformance of Europe is undeniable. In the chart you shared China was at barely 1/20 of Europe's level a generation ago and now is over 1/3.
What will the comparison be in one more generation?
China's achievements are incredibly impressive, and will likely slow down as it gets closer to parity with Western standards of living. As for outperforming - rate of growth/catching up: sure - but not (yet) in most other regards.
China is also ahead in terms of academic output, biotechnology, software and aerospace technology. Of course it hasn't been put to the test, but China's military has also likely pulled ahead of Europe.
As a way for people to feel like they understand something that they really don't. The human mind will make all kinds of contraptions (religion etc.) as an attempt to rationalize and understand the unknown. I think stereotypes serve the same purpose.
Once granted political asylum in the United States, it's virtually impossible to revoke. As much as pessimism is warranted, there are significant substantive differences between Russia and the United States.
Oh, there are absolutely substantive differences, I wasn't claiming there was not.
However I imagine politically useful dissident might well be kept in an ambiguous status, if the perceived use as a bargaining chip later was high enough.
Really I was just objecting to the idea that the US is somehow above such shenanigans because of some sort of philosophically deep commitment to the "rule of law". Neither proposition holds much weight on evidence of actual behavior. Which isn't at all to say I believe the US is equally likely to engage in such behavior as Russia, mind you.
never said that celebrity doesn't have a cost (a high one in this case) but there is an upside to his actions. Acknowledging so doesn't commit you to supporting one side or the other.
lol