Xi Jinping

Xi Jinping Facts and Information

Important Points

• Xi is currently China’s President, a position he will likely retain until 2023
• Xi is the head of the second largest economy on planet earth, and it is possible that China will become #1 biggest economy during his reign
• Xi is a member of the Crown Prince Party; a clique of descendants from the first generation of Chinese leadership
• Xi has been a member of the Communist Party of China for over 35 years
• Xi is married to the famous Chinese folk singer Peng Liyuan

The Rundown

Diplomats and foreign leaders tremble at the mention of his name.  No, not because he is mean (he isn’t), or because he is corrupt (not that we know of) or even because his father was part of the first generation of Chinese leadership (he was).  It is because Xi Jinping is going to one day be the Paramount Leader, General Secretary, President, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the People’s Republic of China.  Yes sir, that was an “and” you read back there, that man is going to be performing all of those jobs.

Anyways, born in 1953 Xi joined the Communist Youth League in 1971, 3 years later, he joined the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).  He steadily worked his way up through the CCP, doing various party jobs for 25 years.  After all of those shenanigans, he was promoted to the Deputy Director of the Fujian Province.  Now that’s a big job, and holding a job like that shows that the CCP had confidence in him.  But the reason that the world is nervous about the expected transfer of power in 2012 isn’t because little is known about this man but because the job is so large.

China’s economy is booming according to western standards, but Xi is going to have to make major adjustments to reign in crazy amounts of investment and exports to change into a more consumer based economy.  This will fundamentally change China’s class system by increasing the size of the middle class, which would be good for China and excellent for the rest of the world.  If China’s middle class becomes consumers that’s another billion people that can buy products!  Capitalism at its finest!  The USA will be happy because the trade surplus that’s been pissing them off for the past 20 years will finally decrease.  But Chinese exporters fear that wages and yuan will rise, hurting their profit margins.

Xi will have to deal with a much different battle on the political side.  The Chinese government has been talking about democracy for 30 years but hasn’t really done anything!  Because of the rise of technologies in China making it easier for the people to voice the annoyances with the government, people are demanding a large say in how their country is run – they are looking for democracy.  By now you’re probably wondering what Xi means for the world on a larger scale, besides becoming the largest consumer market in the world!

Xi is going to have to make some big changes with China’s foreign policy.  He’s going to need to be more assertive with China’s power.  No one will respect a “global power” who doesn’t flaunt their supremacy.  First off, look at the US; everyone knows they are a world power, and everyone respects them because they’ve proved it.  If Xi doesn’t show the world that he has power, and that he’s not afraid to use it, China will not become a world power.  They will dominate everything from politics, to trade and the economy.

Right now, our good pal isn’t just an influence in China, he is an influence outside of it.  In 2009, he toured Latin America (Mexico, Jamaica, Colombia, Venezuela, and Brazil).  Now, can you tell me what all of these countries have in common?  If you guess they’re all emerging markets, give yourself a Latin American gold star!  The purpose of Xi’s tour wasn’t just to sit down and have a beer with the leaders of the countries; it was to solidify China’s hold as the largest producer and exporter in the world, one that is vitally dependent on Latin American resources and markets to continue to boost their economy. By prepping the countries he visited for Chinese goods to be sold in those areas in the future, Chinese producers won’t run into regulation issues.  Also, who wouldn’t want a visit from the Vice President of the most populous country on Earth?  It would make you feel important, wouldn’t it?

MAY 2013 UPDATE!!!
Finally!  Xi is now President of China after what seemed like an eternity as second in command!  I mean have you ever heard of a vice president who dominated headlines as much as Xi?  Al Gore?  Nope, Gore was famous for claiming to have invented the Internet.  Yeah right.  Dan Quayle?  Yeah, for misspelling a word one learns in KINDERGARTEN.  Dick Cheney?  Let’s not get into him.  Let’s focus on the main man of CHINA.

His first speech to the Chinese populace after his inauguration was nothing short of inspiring and profound.  He coined a new phrase, “the Chinese Dream.”  He laid out his personal vision of a solid nation built on “the Chinese path, spirit and strength.”  In this same speech, he made allusions to a more assertive foreign policy during his term as President.  Xi made heads turn when he said he would “fight for the great renaissance of the Chinese nation” and “to dare to dream… to fulfill the dreams and contribute to the revitalization of the nation.”  Xi’s words come at a time when China is half a decade removed from the Olympics and has seen its explosive economic growth start to slow.  Given the current global economic downturn of most Western countries, one must ask: Does the Chinese Dream have more going for it now, then the American Dream? 

His time in the spotlight as VP has not gone to waste!  He has learned a thing or two from his predecessor Hu, which is solidarity among his China’s closest allies.  Upon his assuming of the Presidency, he embarked on trips to Russia and South Africa.  Although he has signaled that Chinese-United States ties are at a ‘critical juncture,’ Xi’s willingness to engage with U.S. President Obama and his counterparts do not show any change in Chinese policy towards the United States (although it remains somewhat cautious, due to continued accusations by the United States of Chinese cyberterrorism).

But Xi is already starting to clean up some cobwebs from Hu’s term.  Xi has made it a priority to clean up some of the heinous and unchecked crimes by local bureaucrats.  Some of these include corruption, bribery, extortion, among other blatant transgressions.  At a time when China’s economy took off, many of the people behind the scenes took it upon themselves to benefit from it illegally.  Hu never had a chance to address this, so it is time for Xi to come to the rescue.  For a man who has just risen into power, Xi acknowledges the fact if these crimes among bureaucrats went unchecked, it would take the smallest of protests by the people to have Tiananmen Square Massacre numero dos.

More challenges for Xi include gradual democratic reform.  The only mention during his presidency has been his addressing, or lack thereof, of the new Chief Executive in Hong Kong.  With more protests rampant in Hong Kong over its elections by mostly a committee of China friendly businesspeople, Xi reluctantly threw his support behind the unpopular new Chief Executive, which has only made the people of Hong Kong more skeptical of whether or not China can fully embrace democratic political reform.  However, Xi is only repeating the stance of his predecessors, which stretch back further than Hu, which is the strict adherence to the “One China” policy.  This policy advocates the strict adherence of only one China in the World which disallows Taiwanese and Tibetan independence.

So, do you ‘see’ what the deal with Xi is, now that he is President?  For now, we all see what he is about but in order to fulfill his vision for the ‘Chinese dream,’ buckle up and stay tuned, the World is in for a great show.

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