XI PREPARES TO EXTEND HIS REIGN AT 20th PARTY CONGRESS

Today, the 20th Party Congress of the Communist Party of China – CCP has begun in Beijing. It will certainly give President Xi Jinping, an unprecedented third term as general secretary of the Party and the Chairmanship of the all important Central Military Commission.

President Xi Jinping is 69 years old and in good health. His Presidency will, without doubt be renewed in March 2023 by the National People’s Congress. Mr Xi Jinping has earned the reputation of being the most powerful leader since Mao Tse Tung- (1893-1976). I have not met President Xi, Mao I met and saw many times during 1956-58, when I was posted in Peking (not Beijing) Mao had a commanding presence and founded the Peoples Republic of China on 1st October 1949. From his photographs President Xi appears to lack Mao’s charisma. Mao inherited a poor, underdeveloped country. President Xi a rich and developing one.

According to one report “there is much less corruption now than when he took over as general secretary from President Hu Jintao. President Xi in 2021 apparently said that China had achieved ‘Complete Victory’ in its attempt to eradicate poverty.

China today is the second most powerful country in the world. President Xi’s ambition is to make China to become numero uno. A powerful China has always been hegemonistic. SinoIndian bilateral relations are, since 2020, tense and strained. China is the only P5 country in the UN Security Council which is opposed to India becoming a permanent member of the Security Council. Does China have no problems. It does. Many, but I will address them on some other occasion.

WHAT KIND OF A CONG PREZ WILL KHARGE BE?
What kind of a Congress President will Mallikarjun Kharge make. You will find the answers in the interview he gave to the Indian Express on Friday, October 14. Question: “How will a non-Gandhi presidency work?”. Answer: “Without the Gandhi’s, you can’t (operate)… you have to take their guidance. They sacrificed for this country……..”. Question: “You are staunch family loyalist……so will the Gandhi’s be consulted before each decision, once you become president?” Answer: “It is not necessary each and every time. But long experience of Sonia Gandhi, 20 years as party president, two years of Rahul Gandhi….. they know the people in every nook and corner of the country. In each state they know 100-200 people…. You want that I should not take guidance from her? She is a key player in the Congress….”.

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL

K NATWAR SINGH The author is Former Minister of External Affairs of India