BY THE TIME Chinese censors finally allowed a James Bond film to be shown in a mainland cinema, in 2007, the franchise was more than four decades old. Only thanks to rampant piracy were Chinese familiar with the British spy, commonly referred to by his codename, Ling ling qi. Chinese leaders would do well to study a plot device beloved in the early films: the moment when a ruthless genius explains his plans for world domination to a captive Bond, believing him moments from death. With the reliability of a well-tuned Aston Martin, the bragging turns out to be ill-timed. Within moments Bond is free, the villain's lair ablaze and his schemes thwarted. Today in the real world, China faces unusual resistance to its bid for a front seat as a global power. Surprisingly often, China's woes stem from what film critics might term Bond-villain blunders, involving premature admissions of ambition.
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