"Understanding Xi Jinping's Approach to Keeping Power in China" - by Yan Chang Bennett

This chapter explores how Chinese leader Xi Jinping maintains his power and control over China, focusing on his political approach known as "Xi Jinping Thought." It explains that, rather than traditional ideologies or philosophies like democracy or communism, Xi’s approach is centered around one main goal: keeping the Chinese Communist Party firmly in power and ensuring China's stability. To achieve this, Xi combines ideas from different sources, including China's ancient philosophies and recent history, in a way that strengthens the Party’s hold on the country. The chapter also discusses how the West often misunderstands Xi’s strategy because it doesn’t fit into familiar Western political models. Instead of seeing China as simply another authoritarian regime, the chapter suggests that it’s important to look at Xi’s strategy through a unique lens, recognizing it as a “regime maintenance paradigm” – a system focused entirely on sustaining the Party’s rule and securing China’s future according to its own goals, known as the "Chinese Dream." This vision is for China to become a strong, respected nation, but one that prioritizes stability and control over the types of freedoms and democratic values seen in the West.

October 2024, Brill - DOI: 10.1163/9789004691087_004

Yan Bennett is the Deputy Chair, Global Issues Area Studies/Foreign Service Institute and teaches at several institutions including the George Washington University, American University, etc.

Photo Credit: By Kremlin.ru, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=148500587