Xi Jinping took charge as president of China for a third term on Friday. Around 2944 lawmakers unanimously assembled in the so-called ‘rubber stamp parliament’ and formally elected him as head of the state for another five years. With this Xi Jinping set to become the longest serving head of China since communist victory after 1949. In addition to the president position, Xi Jinping will also serve as general secretary of the communist party and chairman of the central military commission. Experts are doubting the competency of Chinese policy makers after seeing the rubber stamp legislature. The Chinese government has fired many outstanding profiles who have extraordinary diplomacy skills.
Many challenges are hanging fire for Xi Jinping and in the last couple of months Xi Jinping is facing the stiffest challenges such as Zero Covid Policy has fuelled the anti-government protests, fragile confidence among investors weaken demand for Chinese exports, border issues with neighbouring countries, deterioration of US and China relations, China’s aging problem which is a serious threat to economic growth. We have to see whether a strengthened and power-centered Xi Jinping will overcome these problems or make them even worse.
He has grown from a husband of Chinese popular singer Peng Liyuan to someone who has apparent charisma and created history as the most powerful leader in China since Mao Zedong’s tenure. Xi Jingping is a merciless man to fulfil his ambition to become the most powerful person in his country. To fulfil his desire of controlling China, he almost destroyed all the institutions in China. Now, Xi Jingping has emerged as the most powerful leader in China after Mao Zedong as his third term tenure as president started last Friday. During his regime, he has cracked down on civil society moments, independent media, academic freedom and violating human rights in the North West region of Xinjiang. He also promoted an aggressive foreign policy rather than his predecessors.
The coronation of Xi Jinping will have a wider impact both internally and externally for China and as well as the world. As China is dreaming of becoming the world’s largest economy and powerful country, his extension will have serious ramifications to pursue Xi’s hyper nationalistic agenda of building China as a military, political, strategic and economic rival to the USA, which itself claims as the world’s guardian of democracy. Xi Jinping is caught between trying to support strategic partner and all-time friend Russia in the Ukraine invasion and trying to rebuild relations with Europe to get the economy back on track.
Under Xi Jinping’s rule, India and China relation is on a downslope due to border issues especially in Eastern Ladakh. Two countries have witnessed several standoffs and skirmishes on the borders. Due to Xi Jinping’s ruthless and unjustified ambition, the Chinese army is continuously trying to change the status quo on the border and India has retaliated against China and caused them to fail. Modi is more unwilling to compromise on the border issues than his predecessors. With Xi’s autocratic and aggressive rule, companies around the world are cautious and try for diversity in their investments. This strategy will reduce the investments in China and will also reduce the dependency as China projected as hub for manufacturing,
perhaps India seems to be an opportunity for these companies, for Instance, Apple supplier Foxconn decided to boost its operations in India by investing in Karnataka and Telangana. It is a triumph for Modi’s government, which sees an opportunity to close the tech gap with China as western countries are unhappy with Beijing’s crackdown on their companies. To grab the opportunities, India has been giving financial incentives to Apple supplier Foxconn, which already started making the latest iPhone in Tamil Nadu last year.
Xi Jinping’s authoritative rule created many problems for China across the world. Beijing’s tactic support to Russia’s war in Ukraine also caused serious damage to its western relations. Chinese relations are already at a low level with Canada after Ottawa lashed at Beijing’s interference in Canada politics. Subsequently, a closed-door enquiry has been ordered by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trude on Chinese political interference. Beijing’s relations with Canberra fragiled in the last few years due to Australia’s ban on Chinese Huawei and ZTE telecommunications for building their 5G networks. In retaliation, China also imposed sanctions on Australian products.
The US and China relations plummeted in recent years, whether due to Nancy’s visit to Taiwan, posing security challenges in the pacific region, Chinese spy balloons operations and US supporting stand to Taiwan. Last week in a public speech, Xi said “Western countries led by the USA have implemented all round containment, encirclement and suppression of China, which brought unprecedented severe challenges to China”. Such statements from Xi in the public domain shows growing pessimism in Beijing about China’s relationship with the US. Xi is unhappy with the west’s approach towards China. As he takes third term as China’s head, there are many triggers on the table such as Chinese decision to increase its defence budget, a plan to invade Taiwan like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the US suspect of Chinese military aid to Russia in Ukraine war, a potential ban on Chinese owned video sharing app Tik-Tok. These triggers may deteriorate relations more. Some experts are criticizing Xi Jinping’s brainchild Belt and Road Initiative which has become “A global trail of trouble”. Many smaller countries like Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Malaysia initially showed their propensity towards BRI, later they started distancing from BRI. Last year, many Sri Lankans protested in Colombo against Chinese interference in their country. Xi Jinping’s third tenure could pose a big challenge for China to cement the ties with the West, The US and rest of the world.
Venkata Krishna Rao. K, Research Scholar, IIT Varanasi