Monday marked a decisive moment for the future of presidential leadership in China when vice president Xi Jinping was elected to the position of vice chairman of the Central Military Commission. This move places VP Jinping as next in line for presidency after President Hu Jintao retires. Hu jintao was also given this position three years prior to his promotion. This choice in succession to the presidency has some worried however due to Xi Jinping’s unclear political positions due to past ambiguity.
At 57 years old, Xi Jinping is not a newcomer to the political realm having served in several high ranking political positions throughout China including being assigned as the governor of Fujian province in 2000 and later being assigned as the Party Chief in Zhejiang province.
Aside from his political experience, Mr Xi is considered a “princeling” by being the son of communist party veteran Xi Zhongxun who helped the party rise in the early 1900s. Xi is one of a series of so called “princelings” and is therefore expected to live up to his father’s legacy within the communist party and promote the regime’s standing within China.
However, Mr. Xi is known for taking the middle ground on many political issues such as “the degree to which even small amounts of political liberalization should be tolerated” thereby making his political aims unclear. Although, BBC reports that many top political leaders have decided to concentrate their efforts:
“Instead of seeking a high rate of economic growth, China's leaders appear to want to close the gap between rich and poor and between coastal and inland areas.”
This shift in focus may be in response to the influx of Chinese citizens openly promoting a democratic takeover of the communist regime. One political activist in particular, Mr. Liu Xiaobo has received a great deal of recent media attention for being awarded the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize. The focus on blurring the boundaries between rich and poor comes at an interesting time considering the current debate over the Yuan’s low market value and China’s reluctance to increase it. If the political leaders do intend to create a more equal wealth basis in China, the decisions surrounding the Yuan will certainly play a critical role in the near future.
Video of Victor Chu chairman of First Eastern Investment Group speaking about Xi’s promotion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tA8mvnnoIDI
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-11564634
http://www.economist.com/blogs/asiaview/2010/10/succession_china
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/10/19/2010101900727.html
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/73173/20101019/china-xi-presidency.htm
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