China October 2023
The astrology of China and the Renminbi in October 2023
With everything that is happening in the world at the moment, it Is a relief to turn to something that has been on my to do list for a while: China.
The last time I touched on China was in my coverage of Evergrande in late 2021. I concluded that although Evergrande had deep irreversible problems, the Chinese economy was not in any immediate danger of a domino effect. I did however use the proviso “yet”.
We are now nearly 2 years on. Evergrande is facing its winding up hearings in Hong Kong and China has been struggling with the impact of other property company difficulties and defaults ( c.f. Country Garden).
The impact has flowed through into the stock market, despite the growth stats not being as bad as expected for the last quarter.
The Guardian on Weds 18th said:
Beijing has in recent weeks launched a raft of measures, but its ability to spur growth has been hamstrung by fears over debt risks and a fragile yuan, which has been hit hard this year due to widening yield differentials as global interest rates remain elevated, led by the US Federal Reserve’s tightening campaign.
But we want to know what the astrology says.
Here is the China chart with transits set for yesterday’s eclipsed full moon.
We can see that transiting Pluto is ( and has been for a couple of years) quincunx natal Pluto, not a major aspect but on that indicates that a shift in the long term sentiment is happening slowly. Pluto is also conjunct Uranus which makes this a much more dramatic change, further confirmed by a square to the Nodes.
Clearly, whatever the Q3 stats might say, China is not returning to the conditions of the last few decades.
To some extent, so far this has been moderated by the effect of Neptune. Neptune is sextile the China Uranus and has till recently been trine the country’s natal Neptune and sextile its Mars. This not only moderates the impact but also obscures the reality somewhat ( the current square of Neptune to the China natal Mercury) suggests that at least some obscuring is going on, if not a lot!
However Neptune will in the coming year, square the Chinese natal Pluto, then I believe the extent of the economic damage is more likely to become apparent, along with greater efforts to hide it.
After transiting Uranus, Pluto will also return to Aquarius in early 2024. It will then go to square the progressed Sun and Midheaven. That suggests deep seated issues with and undermining of the leadership. By 2025 Pluto will reach the progressed Uranus, as indeed will the progressed Sun square. I expect a change of leader then, possible quite suddenly – though perhaps after lengthy challenges. The change could be as later as January 2026 but chances are it ill be earlier. I don’t think Neptune which will change signs, and then sextile the progressed Sun, around then will be enough to dilute the effects of Pluto.
I note also that progressed Mars is approaching an opposition with the China Sun, this would seem to confirm challenge to the leadership and may even suggest actual fighting. The progressed Moon will reach this point ( 11 Cancer/Capricorn) in May/June 2024. We must keep out eyes open for hints. The fact that this is also the MC/IC axis suggests a questioning of the economic model on which the country is based may occur.
Turning to our old friend Uranus, which as we know is planning a bumper spring festival with buddy Jupiter in 2024 we can see that the Chinese are likely living in “interesting times”
Transiting Uranus is currently at 21 Taurus which is conjunct the Chinese Moon, representing the people. That is very interesting indeed. Whatever we might see in the outside world, and however many distractions other wars and disruptions might bring, the chances are that there is a feeling of dissatisfaction and unrest amongst the bulk of the people. To what extent they act on this is, however, limited because the Chinese progressed Saturn is for many decades close to a conjunction with the Moon ( it is currently at 20 Taurus). This severely restricts the people’s ability to act.
However the natal Moon is close to Mars, so when they act they really act. The three planets together is a good combination for mass work and military strength. But when combined with Uranus that suggests not all in the garden Is rosy. Ok, on balance perhaps Uranus alone is not going to be enough to shake the boat. But with Jupiter at the same degree in April I think there will be some sort of national strike or protest at best ( unless the aspect manifests as a natural disaster which is also a possibility). I think we might see hints of what is to come in November when Mars, Mercury and the New Moon all fall in this area of the chart.
But having said all that we turn finally to Saturn, currently retrograde in early Pisces and keeping a gentle lid on any tensions. Over the coming year it will move through the sign until it reaches 19 degrees in June 2024. It makes few hard aspects in this time and may in fact encourage adherence to the status quo throughout 2024 despite the other challenges. When it reaches 27 degrees in April 2025 and is square the natal Pluto things could become very tough indeed.
It is also worth a quick peek at the Renminbi chart although we won’t do such an extensive analysis of this.
The most immediate indication that jumps out is transiting Saturn stationed close to the progressed Mars and near opposition with natal Saturn. No wonder the Renminbi is currently subject to pressures, albeit mostly theoretical ones.
The Pluto quincunx we found in the China chart is present here, but this time it is the Renminbi Uranus that is impacted ( being at the degree of the Chinese natal Pluto). At present that quincunx is emphasised by the progressed Moon. However we know that the Renminbi is held in range against the dollar so we wouldn’t expect there to be much more than a feeling of uncertainty yet. This will increase in the coming years as Neptune reaches its square with natal Uranus. I think this is an interesting hint that the conditions are slowly changing but does not, in of itself, suggest a major shift.
We must also again, of course consider the Uranus -Jupiter conjunction in April 2024. But, other than the progressed Sun opposite MC at 24 degrees which will be square the conjunction, there is not too much to report on. I expect April to see some currency re-evaluation but it is unlikely to create any dramatic long term change in value.
However, Pluto in 2024-5 and Neptune a couple of years later are due to change signs so it merits a look at what planets the Renminbi has in early degrees and the answer is quite a lot.
Pluto will mainly make sextiles ( Mercury) or semi-sextiles ( Mars Jupiter, progressed Mars) to the natal planets. But it will by 2025-26 be making a quincunx with the progressed and then natal Saturn, and square the Renminbi Venus though . That is perhaps the time to start worrying about the currency’s value. Pluto reaches a conjunction with the progressed Mercury quincunx Saturn in 2027, then things could be tough.
Neptune trailing Pluto a little, and accompanied by Saturn in 2025, will square the natal Mars Jupiter- this suggests major speculative trading, though does not indicate the direction. In 2025 it will also trine the natal Mercury further indication of at lot of activity and maybe interest rate and managed exchange rate activity.
However by 2027 it will also eventually sextile the progressed Mercury (and quincunx Saturn and Venus) when Pluto is in play. I expect this will be a time of general currency uncertainty and I see pegs breaking.
I love a good financial crisis me. Maybe there will be one then, but not yet and we’ll have to look at other charts to see the whole picture.
OPTIMESIA
