Maximum XI
Xi Jinping emerged from China’s 20th Party Congress in October 2022 with power that has been unrivaled since Mao Zedong. After stacking the Communist Party’s Politburo Standing Committee with Xi’s closest allies, few checks and balances are left to check Xi and the country. Xi has committed a series of missteps in the recent past, all of which Xi’s personality and policy preferences have overrode the advice from pragmatic voices on the matters.
- The effects of centralized decision-making on public health are now on display. It can be seen that Xi is clearly an unchallenged leader as he was able to end the zero-Covid policy without any political pushback.
- China’s economy is in a fragile state, in which Xi’s drive for state control will produce arbitrary decisions and quick policy changes.
- And the last big risk area for the country is foreign policy. An area that Xi’s views and assertiveness will mask China’s views to the world.
