From Monday to Wednesday, the Chinese head of state Xi Jinping is on a state visit to Vladimir Putin in Moscow. This is no coincidence. By 2049, the 100th anniversary of the People’s Republic, China wants to be the leading political, economic and technological power in the world. The means by which the Middle Kingdom reaches for world power and why it affects us all.
China doesn’t just want to be a global superpower. The political elite firmly believe that it is their destiny to lead the world. Head of state and party leader Xi Jinping is in charge. China has never been so powerful, ambitious and authoritarian as under his leadership, never before has China determined the balance of power in such a way. The People’s Congress recently confirmed him in office, making Xi the first head of state since the founding of the People’s Republic to serve a third term.
“This is a real turning point”
“Xi’s leap from a one-party system to a one-person system is huge. This is a real turning point,” said China expert Raimund Löw, former ORF correspondent in Beijing, in the “Krone” interview. “The previous system featured automatic changes at the top. Since the end of Maoism, this has brought stability to the country. Each faction knew that it had to take into account the other political wings, because eventually they would come to power. There was only one party, but many opinions, different generations and opportunities to change.”
That is all gone now, confirms Thomas Eder of the Austrian Institute for International Politics. Xi has “completely taken over” the Communist Party. During his tenure, the 69-year-old “redoubled the political effort” and was poised to compete with the United States. His re-election is a challenge for the West. Raimund Löw: “Xi sees China as a global superpower and wants the country to be recognized and respected as such.” Everything is subordinate to this goal.
These five measures should pave the way for China to become a world power:
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
