Xi Jinping: A Respected, Callous Leader

Winnie the Pooh is not just after honey; he’s also after power. Xi Jinping, the current President of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), is often derogatorily referred to by the “hunny”-loving bear’s name due to his rotund dad body and his loyalty to the colors red and yellow. Unfortunately for him, however, President Xi is not looked upon as favorably as Winnie the Pooh.

Since swiftly gaining power in 2007, Xi Jinping has continued to reform the communist nation, taking China into a new era of politics and development. However, his reputation has been marred by a curtailing of human rights and an intensification of the state-run surveillance system. Though these draconic changes have garnered major criticism from the West and the wider public abroad, they should not undermine his systemic successes in the PRC. Though his policies are authoritative, they are quite practical and not necessarily negative.

Historically, the Chinese state has always been unified and collectivist; this is the practice of putting the success of the whole over individualistic concerns. Many Americans, who would rather buy themselves a Mercedes Benz than pay taxes, are especially critical of Xi’s restrictive yet bountiful fiscal policies. A majority of the American economic model comes from taxes and bonds; almost 60 percent of U.S. citizens pay a substantial income tax, an action that has long garnered wide criticism. On the other hand, China continues to facilitate growth instead of spending tax money for direct investment. For example, when Chinese “sweatshops” and low-income factories were exposed by the media, they were bashed as inhumane. Many ignored the fact that they were, and continue to be, a boon for the overall economy, allowing China to undercut many more-regulated markets and become a manufacturing superpower. While Xi Jinping is responsible for many underpaid workers becoming critically overworked and depressed, he is also responsible for China’s rise to the second-highest GDP; as such, we should separate the “art” from the “artist.”

For instance, President Xi stimulated China’s manufacturing sector to the highest growth in 11 years. The effects are also seen on an individual level, as Xi is “significantly improving living standards” and “eliminating extreme poverty.” For the typical statesman, Xi succeeds at every single requirement: economics, sustainable development, and, most importantly, foreign policy.

His shift in foreign policy has marked a historic turning point in the 21st-century balance of power. Aided by Chinese financial soft power, China’s hidden influence occurs through the use of its economic weight. Consequently, the “Middle Kingdom” is truly at the center of world politics. The Chinese president has continued to employ aggressive “wolf-warrior diplomacy” actions involving foreign ministers ferociously and assertively combating international diplomats, a contrast to former Chinese president Deng Xiaoping’s passive approach. Xi Jinping’s magnum opus, the ambitious Belt and Road Initiative, is another telling example. The program entails manipulatively investing in ports and infrastructure throughout third-world countries like Cambodia and Kenya. These risky investments inexorably benefit China; they allow Xi to swoop in and force foreclosure on its investments, allowing China to gain foreign property in over 139 nations. Both have definitively hampered the nation on the other side of the table and trod on the edge of unethical and brash. However, because of these tactics, China is now the premier international power and commands a tight grip on Southeast Asia, politically dominating the governments of the South China Sea. Their sphere of influence is threatening the current balance of power as we see more countries fall into the hands of Xi Jinping, especially when these countries, like the United States, are economically reliant on Chinese exports. Even the Sino-Russian alliance, which was strengthened after Xi’s support for Russia in the Russo-Ukrainian war, allows China to continue providing peace and favorable international relations for its constituents.

Finally, even when observing Xi’s historic and controversial rise to power, we can find something to respect. Many individuals were quick to criticize Donald Trump for his slight lie about his “humble” upbringing when, in an attempt to gain popularity in an increasingly difficult 2016 election, Trump claimed that he was a “self-made” everyday American despite inheriting $413 million. Contrastingly, Xi only got to his position through grit, an admirable display of his perseverance. Even though the 13-year-old Xi was considered a “young prince” in post-revolution society, he was ousted from privilege at a young age. Having joined the Chinese Communist Party and paved the way for a provincial and gubernatorial political career, he worked his way up the ladder earnestly. This simple reason paints a character of hard work and determination that anyone would want to see in themselves.

However, it is an important distinction to note that we should not be glorifying this communist dictator. President Xi infamously circumvents the democratic process, commits vulgar genocides on nonconforming groups—such as the Uyghurs—and supports unjust wars across the globe, such as those in Ukraine and Israel, where China is the only certain winner. Even in a model Chinese factory, various human rights abuses, strenuous hours, and absolutely devastating mental health conditions have unfortunately led workers to commit suicide. It is imperative that we hold the Chinese dictator accountable, as President Xi cannot continue to commit these egregious offenses. If we do not denounce ethnic cleansing in Xinjiang, which has killed thousands and detained millions, we are as criminal as Xi himself. However, we can simultaneously acknowledge the successes that he has accomplished while addressing the horrendous social drawbacks that come with them. It is clear that China is no longer in a century of humiliation, when the country was abused by foreign powers and economically wracked, but rather a century of dominance, even if the humanitarian costs prove to be fatal. The line we draw leads us to realize that Xi Jinping is a man who will get things done, a trait that perhaps America is looking for as well.

Though a topic like this may seem foreign in a time when other parts of the world have become inflamed with violence, it is exactly this which makes this perspective so important. The most harrowing thought after the Chinese crackdown on Hong Kong’s protests or the invasion of Ukraine was whether or not Taiwan was next. Formally known as Chinese Taipei, whether we like it or not, Taiwanese nationals’ sovereignty is constantly being questioned. If we recognize China’s ruthless efficiency, a single China is not so farfetched. Understanding Xi’s mindset is crucial to how we apply ourselves to the situations at hand. From another perspective, Xi is similar to former President Trump. Rude and rash are adjectives that could describe the parallel leaders, yet so are effective and pragmatic. Amid a dismal 37 percent approval rating of the Biden Administration (a stark contrast to the average 40.7 percent Trump-era rates), Americans may finally align with the practical leader in 2024, despite his constant threats to democracy. 

Whether or not a system like Xi’s is what America needs, it is specifically Asian-American citizens who continue to shift further right. In New York City, key hotspots of the Asian diaspora, including Flushing, Chinatown, and Jackson Heights, have become increasingly red in their voting patterns. Some Republicans argue, with warnings of impending socialism, traditional family values, and favorable economic policy, that this key voting bloc will be better off under the blatantly Sinophobic Trump. And while most Asian communities still lean Democrat, the change is lessening, especially as they disregard the social and constitutional threats from a second term of the Trump administration in favor of increased border security and a crackdown on crime. Perhaps the reason is similar to the Chinese natives back home, that the economic benefits outweigh the social negatives of a Xi-esque regime. Despite these interpretations, however, citizens at home and abroad must come to appreciate the dictator. Xi Jinping, though looking nothing like Winnie the Pooh, once sinisterly quoted the Pooh bear: “All lives well when a family lives in harmony,” no matter what the cost of unity may be.