China

Disparate times require disparate measures is an ominous phrase that no one wants to hear but is becoming increasing used to describe China. China was far an away the greatest beneficiary of globalization. The country is totally dependent on trade both imports and exports. China is the world's biggest importer of food products like meat, dairy, soybeans and corn. China is the largest importer of energy products like oil and natural gas. Any disruption in the supply chains of food or energy would be a serious problem for China. Meanwhile they are running out of working age people, which means the burden of the elderly will cause problems for a country, whose people have a great reverence for parents and grand parents. This was aggravated by the millions of elderly who died from Covid. China has over built in real estate and now has an estimate one billion unoccupied houses and town homes many of which are only partially completed. Many people have invested in these homes and the real estate developers are bankrupt and cannot finish construction. China's Belt and Road initiative which was to build infrastructure projects around the world has left many countries with partially completed projects and wasted over one trillion dollars. As discontent rises within the general population the government may be forced to take military action against Taiwan in order to distract the people from problems at home. A big push in defense spending will fire up the economy and therein lies the disparate measure.