Chinese President Xi Facing Criticisms For His Strongman Rule

Chinese President Xi Jinping (L, front) visits an exhibition to commemorate the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up at the National Museum of China in Beijing, November 13, 2018. /Xinhua Photo

Wall Street Journal: Xi Jinping’s Strongman Rule Comes Under Fire as China Celebrates Deng’s Reforms

On Tuesday, Mr. Xi is expected to fire up support for his agenda with a nationally televised speech at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People

BEIJING—China’s Communist elite is marking the launch of the market reforms that fueled the country’s economic miracle with an unusual amount of discord, much of it directed at President Xi Jinping.

In the weeks leading up to Tuesday’s 40th anniversary celebrations, Mr. Xi’s brand of forward-leaning foreign policy and strongman-led national development have drawn fire. Critics within the party are pointing to China’s flagging economy and down-spiraling relations with the U.S. as proof Mr. Xi has concentrated too much authority in his hands, made policy missteps and provoked pushback against China’s superpower ambitions abroad.

When Premier Li Keqiang, the titular No. 2 in the leadership who has lost influence over economic policy to Mr. Xi in recent years, visited Singapore last month, he omitted the usual obligatory mention of the Chinese president in two speeches. Instead, he name checked Deng Xiaoping, the late leader revered for backing the pro-market reforms and who rejected the one-man rule that he thought led China to ruin in the Mao era.

“There has been dissent and dissatisfaction over Xi’s approach,” said Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute in London. He points to the economy’s weakness and the trade war with the U.S. as reasons for the discontent.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Chinese President Xi's anti-corruption campaign made him a lot of enemies. But trying to take credit for the reforms that former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping implemented that made China the superpower that it is today is not sitting well for those who remember what it was like in China during the 1970s and 1980s, and how Deng's reforms changed everything.

More News On The 40th Anniversary Of Economic Reforms In China

China in 2018: Advancing reform and opening-up in the new era -- CGTN
Xi challenged over direction of China’s economic reforms -- Financial Times
President Xi to outline China’s economic future -- Asia Times
Xi Jinping to position himself as reform champion in speech marking 40 years of reforms -- Straits Times/Bloomberg
China sparked an economic miracle -- now there's a fight over its legacy -- Ben Westcott and Lily Lee, CNN
China to mark economic miracle that pulled 700 million people out of poverty -- RT