I wrote in a previous post about China's chance of becoming more democratic - this now seems to be an even more remote possibility following Mr Xi's articulation of the paramount role of the Party in in Chinese affairs. In his recent Road to Rejuvenation speech in Beijing, Mr Xi signaled the road ahead. He relegated Mr Deng's views in 1980 about the need to separate the roles of the 'Party' and the 'Government' to the annals of history. Any thoughts about a Singapore-style of government for China went out the window.
Recent articles on China in the October 14 edition of The Economist are well worth the read in this context. Mr Xi has apparently made it clear that the Party is the paramount source for framing political, economic and social debates, setting various agendas and finding solutions to problems in the coming period. I particularly liked the description of the Party in The Economist (pp.16-17). Before Mr Xi's rise to power, the Party was like a company whose workers did not show up for work. In addition, it seems the days of Party members failing to pay their membership dues are also over.
While China is accustomed to a succession of 'Emperors' where the concentration of power in a few people is the "normal" state-of-affairs, exactly how Mr Xi's new grip on power will play out in China in the coming months is concern for not only China but also the global community. The Economist of 14 October (p. 9) points out that the currently dueling global heavyweights - China and the US - seem to be adopting different tactics. Whereas Mr Xi is asserting his power internally and gaining influence globally through many cross-border initiatives, under President Trump, the US appears to be "pulling back" from similar cross border initiatives. In addition, Mr Trump's hold on power may be precarious given the current state of internal politics of the US. We could be all in for a rough ride in these circumstances!
Recent articles on China in the October 14 edition of The Economist are well worth the read in this context. Mr Xi has apparently made it clear that the Party is the paramount source for framing political, economic and social debates, setting various agendas and finding solutions to problems in the coming period. I particularly liked the description of the Party in The Economist (pp.16-17). Before Mr Xi's rise to power, the Party was like a company whose workers did not show up for work. In addition, it seems the days of Party members failing to pay their membership dues are also over.
While China is accustomed to a succession of 'Emperors' where the concentration of power in a few people is the "normal" state-of-affairs, exactly how Mr Xi's new grip on power will play out in China in the coming months is concern for not only China but also the global community. The Economist of 14 October (p. 9) points out that the currently dueling global heavyweights - China and the US - seem to be adopting different tactics. Whereas Mr Xi is asserting his power internally and gaining influence globally through many cross-border initiatives, under President Trump, the US appears to be "pulling back" from similar cross border initiatives. In addition, Mr Trump's hold on power may be precarious given the current state of internal politics of the US. We could be all in for a rough ride in these circumstances!
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