The Power Of Xi

摘要

Chinese President Xi Jinping is all about reform. That's "reform" as in "kicking butt." The main take-away from the Third Plenary Session of the Communist Party's 18th Central Committee is that Xi has consolidated power remarkably quickly and is eager to use it. Some parts of his agenda impress outsiders, such as further relaxing the one-child policy and closing reeducation labor camps. Such steps defuse popular anger toward the regime. Other Xi initiatives are decidedly less appealing, like the vow to "utilize and standardize Internet supervision," which is code language for censorship. But whether liked or disliked outside China, everything Xi intends to do is directed toward one goal: to consolidate the Communist Party's central and permanent role as the leader of the nation.