Xi's blueprint for rejuvenating China cuts through the fear and confusion
Robert Lawrence Kuhn says candid book of speeches reveals president's thinking to the world
The caller, a Chinese official I respect, asked that I black out October 8. Why, he wouldn't yet say. The project was an unprecedented, 500-plus page book, called ; I was invited to speak at its launch on the Frankfurt Book Fair's opening day. That the book by Xi Jinping was released during the Hong Kong protests is coincidental, but the contrasting approaches to governance are instructive.
Xi's book was published in nine languages at the same time, a massive task of translation and publishing logistics.
I saw Xi's book as an opportunity to discern the Chinese leader's way of thinking on multiple levels; it is like a blueprint of what Xi thinks it will take to realise "the Chinese Dream" and to achieve "the great rejuvenation".
I offer three perspectives on this nonpareil publication: substance, presenting Xi's political philosophy; symbol, recognising Xi's emergence as China's leader; and signal, communicating Xi's way of thinking to the world.
On substance, the book specifies how Xi's political theory and practice affect all aspects of society and statecraft - in 79 of Xi's speeches and commentaries. Comparative numbers may reveal relative importance. Of the book's 18 chapters, 11 relate to domestic affairs, seven to foreign affairs; six have political relevance; six concern standards of living; four stress standards of behaviour; there is one chapter each for deeper reform, economic development, advanced culture, social undertakings, and ecological progress; in foreign affairs, three chapters cover diplomacy, three deal with international cooperation, and there's one on national defence.
Xi's governance is writ large. It is founded on political structure and function, but it is all-inclusive, encompassing the full spectrum of national activities and citizen affairs, leading to national revival and citizen prosperity.
On symbol, that this authoritative work, including a mini-biography, is published less than two years after Xi became general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, conveys, in China's special way, the established fact of Xi's consolidation and confidence of power, and his strength and vision of leadership.
