President Xi Jinping has charmed his people and outwitted his critics. Outside China, he has kept everyone, including India, guessing
In the spring of 2013, when the rotund Xi Jinping took over as president of the People’s Republic of China, he was relatively unknown outside the mainland. The joke in Beijing then was that he was known as the husband of Peng Liyuan, one of China’s most popular folk singers, and the son of Xi Zhongxun, a first generation communist revolutionary and one of the founding fathers of the republic, along with the legendary Mao Zedong.
By the end of his first term, he had made a name for himself, unleashing a ferocious campaign against corruption that fuelled many prominent names in the party and the military, and giving rise to what has come to be known as ‘Xi Jinping thought’ or ‘Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era’. He has also flexed his muscles outside China, keeping neighbours, especially India, on tenterhooks (read Doklam).
President Xi and his Premier Li Keqiang kept their hands steady on the wheel as the country sailed through some turbulent economic waters and international crises, especially with some sabre rattling in the South China Sea. He also faced a mini crisis at home with the volume rising about how polluted the country was becoming. In the year he became president, the Beijing air was a soupy grey with the smoke and gasoline fumes and the sky remained hidden for days, especially in winter.
He managed to fix a lot of the latter. This last winter, the air was much more breathable, and locals say there have been more blue sky days this season than in the previous ten.
Bu hikaye THE WEEK dergisinin April 22, 2018 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye THE WEEK dergisinin April 22, 2018 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Stop ruling; start governing
In every election the voters elect a government.
HEALING THE EARTH
Land Restoration for a Drought-Resilient Future
Speak of the nawab
For Heeramandi's male lead, Taha Shah, the road to success was paved with flops
Northern delights
Four Kashmiri fashion labels that want to put the troubled region on the international style map
WOOING THE WAVES
India is developing strategic ports overseas and is exploring new oceanic trade routes to pursue its growing geopolitical objectives
TIPU, SULTAN!
In his first major election after the death of Mulayam Singh Yadav, Akhilesh humbles the BJP and proves he is his own man
A SLEEPER HIT
Naidu’s stunning victory raises questions about the vote-catching power of welfare schemes
SWEEPING LOSS
AAP’s disappointing performance has put a question mark on its relevance in the INDIA bloc
INDEPENDENTS' DAY
The Lok Sabha results in Baramulla and Ladakh reflect a churning among voters
Voters have changed, and we have benefited
In March 2022, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu asked a quirky question to actor-MP Suresh Gopi, who had come to the Rajya Sabha with a distinctive look.