zlacker

What definition of "police state" are you using? How do all the things you acknowledge in your third paragraph not make China a police state?

It's effectively totalitarian, special economic zones aside. We've seen what happens if they try to stir the pot politically. Their relative "freedom" is exercised with a guillotine permanently above their heads and no legal rights.

Everyone is surveilled across every arena of life.

And if you really think people only disappear in Xinjiang, look at the history (and continuing present) of human rights or democracy activists. [0]

[0] https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/05/30/human-rights-activism-po...

>>elefan+(OP)
I think a state can be all the things I said that China is and still not be a police state. All the online articles referencing China being a police state that I can find talk about the extreme measures in that one "autonomous" region of Xinxiang specifically. Do an internet search for yourself and see. Can't freedoms in China be pretty terrible in many respects without it being equated with the worst regimes ever?