President Xi Jinping is not an accidental ruler. Neither he has inherited the status of core leader of China. He has earned the status of the paramount leader through sheer hard work and dedication to Chinese civilization, Communism, and the core values of Modern China. The story of leadership building started with President Xi working in the village. The journey was full of difficulties and opportunities. He moved through the ranks and assumed the charge of General Secretary, Chairman Military Commission, and Presidentship of China. He took over the responsibility of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Country at a critical juncture in time.
China was at a crossroads. China was searching for answers to a few vital questions. China was struggling to find a balanced governance and economic model, that could satisfy the future needs of the people. Simultaneously, the ideological debate was going on among the Party cadres and common people. Some people advocated returning to the basic philosophy and structure of the Party of Chairman Mao’s era. They believed that it is required to answer the problems. On the other hand, some people were advocating for the judicialization of the State. They were also asking for the separation of the Party and State government.
China was also looking for answers, on how to improve the rule of law. How to control corruption. What would be mechanisms to tackle non-traditional security threats like climate change, food insecurity, etc.? In addition, China was also facing a harsh international environment. A campaign was picking up to undermine China and check its peaceful rise of China.
President Xi Jinping earned the status of a paramount leader by tackling difficult questions and mitigating ideological confusion.
In a nutshell, President Xi assumed the charge of leadership at a time when China was searching for a sustainable path for the future, which could ensure peace and prosperity. Moreover, China was facing a double crisis: one was to repeat the errors of following the ‘heterodox path of changing banners that led to the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the other was to return to the ‘old path of feudal stagnation from the period before Reform and Opening. These questions or debate was not new. The Chinese leadership has been working on these issues for some time but could not present a sustainable way out. That’s why these questions and debate was still there.
President Xi Jinping took the lead in answering questions and guiding the debate. He started his journey as a leader by putting forward his vision for domestic and global audiences. On the domestic front, he presented his philosophy and vision in the form of a third principal contradiction “What we now face is the contradiction between unbalanced and inadequate development and the people’s ever-growing needs for a better life”. On the global front, he presented the community with a Shared Future where everyone is connected. After presenting his ideology, vision, and ideas, President Xi started to act on two fronts; implementation and guiding the debate on theory, philosophy, and ideology.
First of all, he launched a comprehensive campaign to eradicate corruption at all levels. He did not spare anyone, who committed any type of corruption. He equally focused on big fishes and small culprits. He did not care about the status of anyone. He was convinced that to control China must show zero tolerance. Corruption (monetary or obliging relatives or friends) should not be tolerated at any cost on any level. The campaign results are visible now; an atmosphere where corruption is discouraged in the strongest terms is prevalent in China.
Second, he targeted inadequate and unbalanced development. He made poverty a prime target and steered the whole Party and State infrastructure to eliminate poverty before 2021. China achieved a zero-poverty target and now President Xi is guiding the Party and State to achieve the goal of prospering China. Third, he was convinced that China would have to improve its environment to realize its dream of a beautiful China. For that purpose, China under the leadership of President Xi is pursuing the goal of constructing an ecological civilization. China has covered a long distance to construct the ecological civilization.
However, the real work of President Xi was on ideological and theoretical fronts, which consolidated his position as a leader and core or paramount leader of the Party and State. He devised his thoughts by learning from socialism, communism, Chairman Mao’s ideology and theory, Deng Xiaoping’s theory, three representatives, and the scientific development outlook. He applied his experience and wisdom to come up with solutions by keeping in mind Chinese civilization, socialism, and communism.
First, he ends the debate on Party vs. State. He clarified that the leadership of the Party is prime, and the Party will be the centre of all decision-making and implementation. There is no alternative to party leadership and party leadership is the core element of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics. He categorically mentioned that the Party leads everything: Party, government, army, people, and scholars. The Party is the most exalted force of political leadership. However, to sustain this status the Party must be governed by values, norms, and character. The leadership has to practice virtue, observe the law, stick to ethics, and follow values. Most importantly, common citizens must be the focus of all policies and implementation plans.
Second, to realize the goal of a better life for people, he came up with the idea of high-quality development and the theory of modernization. Modernization theory is a comprehensive ideological framework to realize the needs of people in the 21st century and realize the Chinese Dream. He is asking for the modernization of the economy, production, culture, and environment. He emphasized the importance of socialist market values and socialism with Chinese characteristics as leading forces to achieve the objectives. For that purpose, the initiated process of modernizing governance and capacity of governance by sticking to the legal system of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
Third, to tackle global challenges, President Xi opted for a more sustainable and peaceful route. He avoided confrontation and adopted proactive engagement for win-win cooperation. President Xi offered the world to benefit from China’s prosperity and be part of the Chinese modernization drive. However, China did not ask the world to follow or imitate the Chinese Modernization drive or model. President Xi implemented the Chinese philosophy of shared growth through discussion and collaboration. China offered ideas, designs, and opportunities to benefit from Chinese modernization not the model to imitate. President Xi perceived it as necessary to create a new global system, that ensures dignity, respect, fairness, and equality. President Xi’s idea worked, and it attracted several countries to China to build strong economic linkages. It helped China expand its circle of friends.
It is believed that the above-discussed actions and ideological and theoretical guidance provided by President Xi Jinping save China from the undesired impacts and put China on the path of sustainable development and peace. It also helped to ensure the well-being of people, which was crucial to strengthen the trust of people in the Party. In addition, it was his leadership that, saved the Party, strengthened the Party’s role, and enhanced the trust of people in the Party.
Thus, it can be inferred that President Xi Jinping earned the status of a paramount leader by tackling difficult questions, mitigating ideological confusion, and providing theoretical and ideological guidance to safeguard Socialism with Chinese Characteristics. That’s why he enjoys the support of the people, Party, and State machinery.
The writer is COO Zalmi Foundation