China’s Xi seizes total power, threatens international order with economic strength, military prowess
CYBERSPACE and the MOUNTAIN: Xi Jinping, China’s powerful new ruler, is not only a man of business but also a man of government. His ambition was on display again last week, when he announced the state-sponsored Chinese Internet giant, Baidu, to be “ China’s internet company.” But his biggest move so far will be to change the face of international politics over the next few years.
China is the world’s second-largest economy — in purchasing power terms, at $11 trillion. It ranks fifth in the world in gross domestic product, in purchasing power terms, by $2.4 trillion. It was a rare country that could produce an industrial revolution from scratch. It is now a country that has been transformed by unprecedented growth.
It is the world’s fastest-growing middle class and the largest in the world. It is a market economy that is more competitive than the United States. The government has launched the world’s largest internet campaign. It has built one of the world’s largest consumer sectors. It has created a large middle class. The government has created new industries — from manufacturing to technology. As China prepares to host the Olympics, it is expanding its naval fleets and modernizing its missile capacity.
China’s leaders have embraced the Chinese Dream, their nation’s unofficial motto. Their dreams have become their national mission. And Xi is determined to reach them — and to lead his nation in fulfilling its dreams. He has not been afraid to show power on the outside.
He has given Xi a personal portrait to hang in his office, with the inscription “Power is the foundation of all things.”
He has made China the world’s number one trade partner. And he has turned to the U.S. for help. He has been making overtures to Washington since the end of the Cold War, but the Obama administration
