By Tonio Andrade
There are signs the Year of the Dragon is already stirring up trouble in China.
Economic growth seems to be faltering, and many analysts believe that the property bubble that has been inflating for the past decade may burst. But even more worrisome are recent signs of political tumult in Beijing.
Earlier this week, the Chinese blogosphere erupted in speculation about a possible coup attempt. There were reports of gunshots in Beijing, of unusual paramilitary activity near party leadership compounds. Internet censors removed such posts, only adding to the sense of confusion. Although these rumors were almost certainly only that, it seems possible that a factional war has broken out within the Communist Party leadership itself. If so, the ramifications are huge. At stake is nothing less than the future of China itself.
Read the full story at The Diplomat