Who will China learn from now?

Who is China learning from now?
from China Rises: Notes from the Middle Kingdom by Tim Johnson
Here’s a little ditty making the rounds about China’s evolution over the decades:

Mao Zedong and the first-generation leaders decided to learn from the Soviet Union – and the Soviet Union collapsed.

Deng Xiaoping and the second-generation leaders decided to learn from Japan (East Asia miracle) – and Japan has been in stagnation.

Jiang Zemin and the third-generation leaders decided to learn from the United States (market economy) – and the United States is virtually bankrupt.

Hu Jintao and the fourth-generation leaders decided to learn from ... who's next?

What makes this comparison so interesting is that China hasn't collapsed, stagnated, or gone bankrupt. I think the ultimate lesson is that adaptability and flexibility are keys to running any successful entity.