Xi Jinping

2022 - 10 - 16

China's Xi opens Party Congress with speech tackling Taiwan, Hong ... (CNN)

Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Sunday vowed to steer China through grave challenges towards national rejuvenation, advancing a nationalistic vision that has ...

But this year, many have pinned their hopes on the congress to be a turning point for China to relax its Covid policy. A series of recent articles in the party’s mouthpiece, however, suggest that could be wishful thinking. By emphasizing the challenges and struggles, he said, it justifies “the need for a strong party and its great leader.” He also urged the PLA to strengthen its training and improve its “ability to win.” It will also have a profound impact on the world, as Xi doubles down on an assertive foreign policy to boost China’s international clout and rewrite the US-led global order. Meanwhile, diplomatically, his [“no-limits” friendship](https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/14/china/xi-putin-meeting-sco-summit-analysis-intl-hnk) with Russian President Vladimir Putin has further strained Beijing’s ties with the West following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. China will “speed up efforts to achieve greater self-reliance in science and technology,” he said, in comments that come just months after his damaging crackdown on the country’s private sector and major tech companies. No to lies, yes to dignity. No to lockdown, yes to freedom. Xi’s speech was peppered with the Chinese term for “security” — which was mentioned about 50 times. Online photos showed two banners were unfurled on a busy overpass denouncing Xi and his policies, before being taken down by police. Complete reunification of our country must be realized,” Xi said to thundering applause.

Xi Jinping's path to power: From outcast to “emperor” (Politico)

Even when the Chinese Communist Party leadership chose Xi as leader in 2012, they believed he could be easily controlled, said Andrew J. Nathan, a political ...

He’s invoked a “ [wolf warrior” diplomacy](https://asiasociety.org/southern-california/events/making-chinas-wolf-warrior-diplomacy) and built up [a military machine designed to back](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-59600475) his ambition of [Chinese superpower status](https://www.wsj.com/articles/mr-xis-superpower-plans-1532013258). embassy in Beijing](https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/09BEIJING3128_a.html) to the U.S. “There’s this siege mentality on the part of Xi Jinping that says, ‘I need to be strong [and] make the country strong because China has been abused,’” said Nathan, the Columbia University professor. “According to a well-connected Embassy contact, Politburo Standing Committee Member and Vice President Xi Jinping is ‘exceptionally ambitious,’ confident and focused, and has had his ‘eye on the prize’ from early adulthood,” the cable said. [intense humiliation](https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/ce/celv/eng/xwdt/t1889004.htm)” of past foreign domination and achieved “complete victory” over extreme poverty. “He has a great sense of timing, and when to move and when to not move.” Between [1979 and 2007 he served in positions ranging from office secretary of the General Office of the State Council](http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-10/25/c_136705528.htm), acting governor of Fujian and Zhejiang provinces and secretary of the CCP’s Shanghai Municipal Committee. That approach caught the eye of former President Jiang Zemin and former vice president Zeng Qinghong. [Belt and Road Initiative](http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2021-08/18/c_1310134667.htm) — through which China has poured billions into highways, power plants and high speed rail across the developing world — has delivered Beijing diplomatic wins. That skill set reflects Xi’s childhood spent in the heart of Chinese Communist Party elite politics as the son of former vice premier Xi Zhongxun. “They saw him as a sort of malleable, loyal guy who would treat them as elders in the right way and not rock the boat,” Nathan said. “Anyone who would attempt to do so will find themselves on a collision course with a great wall of steel forged by over 1.4 billion Chinese people.”

Xi presents China as 'new choice' for humanity as he readies for ... (The Washington Post)

As the most powerful Chinese leader in decades, Xi Jinping has promoted his nationalist “Chinese dream” to reclaim a place at the center of global affairs.

Channeling Mao Zedong, founder of the People’s Republic of China, he said the military — the “barrel of the gun” — must forever listen to party orders. And the party will never change, Xi added, because it had learned the art of “self-revolution” to break historical cycles of rising and falling governments. “The bandwagoning of subordinates to prove loyalty and protect their own careers leads to overreach,” she said. Just before the speech, CCTV interviewed Jiang Lijuan, a local official from Zhejiang province, who breathlessly praised Xi’s “personal guidance” in the development of her village. Instead, he met with party elders one by one to gather recommendations, helping him prevent the formation of cliques that could challenge his power. As the most powerful Chinese leader in decades, Xi has promoted his nationalist vision of a “Chinese dream” to reclaim the nation’s place at the center of global affairs. Shirk argues that Xi is unlikely to use his third term to change course. [who will be promoted](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/10/10/china-president-xi-jinping-successor/?itid=lk_inline_manual_28) to join him on the Politburo for any signs of challenges to Xi’s rule or an anointed successor. “He has 10 more years to choose his successor.” The gathering will conclude when delegates formally approve Xi’s report, pass changes to the party constitution and choose a new Central Committee. Even if there is resistance to Xi’s agenda, it is unlikely to appear during the carefully scripted congress. Under his rule, international criticism of China has been met with fierce pushback from “wolf warrior” diplomats.

The 20th Party Congress and the crowning of Xi Jinping | East Asia ... (East Asia Forum)

At this week's Party Congress Xi Jinping might be anointed Party Chairman, putting him on an equal footing with Mao Zedong.

To ensure his personal domination at the apex of Party power, Xi is not expected to appoint a successor at this week’s Congress, and that would confirm Xi has a fourth term in mind, and maybe even a fifth. The other clear indication that Xi is planning to rule indefinitely will be appointments to the Politburo and its Standing Committee. This comes on the back of a second term in which Xi conspicuously failed to appoint a potential heir to the Politburo Standing Committee. The most important function of the Congress is to oversee the peaceful transition of leadership at the top ranks of the party. But the process of Xi Jinping’s rapid elevation to the top ranks remains something of a mystery. The 20th National Party Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) commenced on 16 October and will run for seven days.

Xi Jinping opens China's Communist party congress (Financial Times)

The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson and Marc Filippino. The show's editor is Jess Smith. Additional help by Peter Barber, Michael ...