- Grace Choi, Sylvia Chang
- BBC World Service
photo source, Getty Images
Few would have predicted that Chinese President Xi Jinping would become the most powerful leader in the history of recent decades. But now, President Xi Jinping faces his historic third term in office.
A decade ago, little was known regarding Xi Jinping. He was only from ‘Shenggol’ who had a father who was a revolutionary elder of the Chinese Communist Party.
These backgrounds played a decisive role when Xi Jinping gained support from the top of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and strengthened his power. Party elders usually exercised political influence even following retirement.
“Before Xi Jinping rose to a high position, he was considered a compromiser with everyone,” said Joseph Fusmith, who studies Chinese elite politics at Boston University.
But now, 10 years following his tenure as President, Xi Jinping’s authority is stronger than anyone else, and his power seems to be unmatched. What happened?
muzzle of a gun
The founder of the Communist Party of China, Mao Zedong, once said, “Political power comes from the gun barrel.”
After the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, Mao made it clear that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was controlled by the party, not the state. After that, the general secretary of the Communist Party of China served as chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC).
photo source, Getty Images
Xi Jinping was luckier than his predecessor Hu Jintao. This is because he did not waste time on the removal of opposition within the army by rising to the position of chairman of the Pharaoh committee.
The most shocking incidents occurred in 2014 and 2015 when former Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission Xu Caihou and former People’s Liberation Army General Guo Boshiung were charged with corruption.
“The two men in power were already retired, but Xi Jinping targeted them to diminish Jiang’s influence within the People’s Liberation Army,” said Joel Wortnow, a senior research fellow at the National Defense University (NDU) run by the Pentagon. .
“We sent a strong message to active duty military officials that no one who resists Xi Jinping’s power will be spared,” he added.
In 2015, Xi Jinping also carried out an all-out military reorganization. The 4 general divisions (General Staff Department, General Politics Department, General Staff Department, General Equipment Department) were abolished and replaced with 15 functional departments.
As a result of the military reorganization, the Central Military Commission gave orders directly to various military sectors, and the financial audit department reports directly to the Central Military Commission, Wotnow explains.
This situation shows, above all, absolute allegiance to Xi Jinping, and similar cases are still being repeated.
Last month, China’s state-run military newspaper, the People’s Liberation Army Daily, ran an article emphasizing the overall command of the Central Military Commission.
Timothy Heath, chief international defense researcher at the US think tank RAND Corporation, said, “By sending such a message, it makes it easier to respond when the power of a high-ranking People’s Liberation Army officer who may one day oppose Xi Jinping grows.” “Loyalty to the party means that the People’s Liberation Army must carry out all orders for the party’s power and Xi Jinping’s reign,” he said.
Loyalty comes first
If you have secured the ‘muzzle’, you must also completely control the ‘hilt’ for internal control.
Two years following Xi took office, authorities arrested Zhou Yongkang, former public security chief, on corruption charges. In China, high-ranking corrupt officials are called ‘tigers’. Zhou Yongkang was close to Xi’s rival, another “sacred bone” Bo Lai.
The investigation into Zhou Yongkang broke the tacit principle of not punishing the Standing Committee of the Politburo, the highest decision-making body, and caused a great political shock.
Neil Thomas, chief China analyst at Eurasia Group, said Xi was “disclosed to be a ruthless and clever politician who persevered and passed the test before gaining great power.” You must be amazed at the speed and scope of the President’s seizure of power.”
Observers say Xi Jinping’s signature anti-corruption campaign has also been used to rid the party of internal rivals and other factions.
Over the past decade, more than 4.7 million people have been investigated by anti-corruption authorities.
Victor Xi, a political scientist at the University of California, San Diego, said: “Over the past two years, President Xi has purged even the high-ranking public security officials who initially supported his administration. explained.
In addition, Xi has placed his people in key positions in the region, such as party secretary in major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Chongqing.
Thomas said that this position is important as it is a place to “interpret and apply the Party’s policies in the homes of millions of people.” At least 24 of the 31 provincial party clerks are Xi Jinping’s political allies, or have known or studied with family members. .
Meanwhile, according to a survey by Wu Guoguang, a political science professor at the University of Victoria in Canada, most of the 281 provincial standing committee members were appointed by Xi.
personal branding strategy
“Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era” was stipulated in the 2018 Chinese constitution.
Although the title is too long, it was a work to solidify Xi Jinping’s legacy for an ‘ideology’ named following him to be included in the constitution.
The only precedent was Mao Zedong. Even the father of modernization in China, Deng Xiaoping, only had a ‘theory’ named following him, and the names of Xi Jinping’s immediate predecessors Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao were not attached to ideas or theories.
The exact meaning of Xi Jinping’s thought is controversial, but experts say it is not the meaning that matters, but the shift in power.
Jean-Pierre Cavestan, emeritus professor of political science at Hong Kong Baptist University, said: “Xi Jinping’s ideas are primarily aimed at strengthening his legitimacy and power above the Chinese Communist Party and above all other figures. It’s part of a new cult of personality that connects us with the Chinese emperor who has enjoyed success with us.”
According to Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao, dozens of universities and institutions in China, including prestigious universities in Beijing and Tsinghua, have established research centers named following Xi.
In August, China’s Ministry of Education announced a plan to include Xi Jinping Thought in the national curriculum.
In 2019, a mobile app called ‘Xuexi Qiangguo’ was launched, the name of which is interpreted as a double meaning to learn from President Xi and strengthen China, and the app provided a quiz on Xi Jinping Thought.
Andrew Nathan, professor of political science at Columbia University, said Xi “believes that he had the right ideas and that everyone should follow them.” Explain.
ILLUSTRA TION BY Davies Suria
