Is China Accepting A 'Strongman' To Rule Over Them?

Chinese President Xi Jinping. (Xinhua/Ma Zhancheng)

Phillip Orchard, Geopolitical Futures: China: Herding Rivals and Rhinos

Socio-economic and political factors fuel Xi’s quest for power.

Chinese President Xi Jinping made a string of moves over the weekend that reflect the extraordinary power he’s wielding from atop the Chinese system – but also the threats to both his position and his country that are keeping him up at night.

On Feb. 23, the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party proposed that the rule limiting the president and vice president to two terms be removed from the Chinese Constitution at next week’s National People’s Congress. The proposal is certain to be implemented. On the surface, the move confirms what we already knew: Xi has no intention of sticking with recent precedent and stepping down when his second term ends five years from now. This was made abundantly clear at the epochal 19th Party Congress last fall, when “Xi Jinping Thought” was added to the party constitution. There, Xi declined to name a successor to replace him as party secretary in 2021. Xi’s intentions have been further underscored by a string of high-profile anti-graft purges of rising stars (generally from rival factions) seen as potential challengers to Xi.

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WNU Editor: The overwhelming response among all of my Chinese friends and contacts on President Xi's move to consolidate his rule is negative. When you position yourself to rule against the will of the people .... the end is never good .... even in China. And while President Xi does have control of the government .... I can easily see the day that if economic times get tough and/or an international incident puts China in a disadvantageous position .... his control may not be as solidified as he may think it is. But for now he is the President and ruler of China .... whether you like it or not .... and this is something that the Chinese in the end will need to resolve by themselves.