This reminds me just how huge some companies can grow without most of us even knowing it. Here in America, take Disney for example, the average person might think it's all resorts and movies, but looking into it the Walt Disney Corporation owns around 200 other companies. All of that influence and power and money flow upward to a small number of people that make decisions that affect millions of people's lives.
Not sure how much that has to do with the original article but it's what it made me think of. I have been reading a bit about China and its growing problems too. My town is not to date when it comes to empty buildings but I know other places where it's a growing problem such as New York and maybe LA.
These company conglomerates are nations in a sense. Look at Blackrock for instance, where they have a piece of just about everything, including other investment firms.
It creates rules that generate alignment that work in the background, but aren't actually legislated.