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It's a bit reminiscent of the rejection of the manuscript for Harry Potter by numerous publishers: When Xi Jinping wanted to join the Chinese Communist Party in the early 1970s, officials rejected his application for political reasons. Later, he had to cheat his way into university because he was not to be given a spot initially. An autobiography by the future head of state allows for fascinating insights into this time – and partly explains his way of thinking.
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When Henry Kissinger and his Chinese interlocutors found themselves in a diplomatic dead-end in the early 1970s, they visited the Temple of Heaven in Beijing – and immediately got back on track. And to this day, the once sacred place full of symbolism inspires astute analysis. Meanwhile, Kissinger, the mastermind of modern US policy towards China, despairs over the aggressive course the two superpowers have taken.
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Xi Jinping did not simply wear a Mao-style jacket at his party anniversary appearance, but one with the exact same cut and hue as the original. Our columnist personally knows the tailor who makes these updated versions of the politically charged garment. The master tailor talked about the special requests that head of state Hu Jintao once made for his Gala Mao jacket.
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Today, on its 100th anniversary, the Communist leadership faces a major dilemma. It wants to consolidate its power and the order of the country. At the same time, it needs to allow more and more free-market economy since economic prosperity legitimizes its power. But this requires opening up to the world. The fact that this dilemma cannot be solved by ideological concepts, but in the end only by trial and error, was demonstrated by the reformer Deng Xiaoping. But it won't be any easier for the party to reconcile the two.
By Frank Sieren
One of Germany's best-known journalists and a long-time China correspondent have joined forces to write the first comprehensive biography of Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party and President of China. And its title also serves as a thesis: "Xi Jinping – the most powerful man in the world". China.Table exclusively publishes a chapter from the new book by Stefan Aust and Adrian Geiges.
By Redaktion Table
In his speech on the centenary of the founding of the Communist Party, Xi Jinping stresses that China is open to constructive criticism from other countries and is striving for a collective, peaceful world order. However, then his tone changes: The time to lecture or even bully China from a high horse is over. To defend itself, China needs a strong army. Lastly, Taiwan belongs to the mainland.
By Frank Sieren