Five years ago, a China scholar defined three underlying trends in Xi Jinping's plan for the Chinese nation, and indeed for the wider world. It's helpful to look back on those trends and to see how they have grown as realities in Chinese society — and beyond — over the last few years.
The First Trend: A "One-Man Show"
The first trend could be defined as the “one-man show.” The previously most significant Chinese leader since Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, formed a consensus-based policy for decision-making. Xi has removed that structure and consolidated institutional power into his own hands.
In March 2018, he successfully maneuvered to eliminate the two-term limit on the presidency, ensuring that he could continue to hold three of the country’s most powerful positions — CCP general secretary, chairman of the Central Military Commission, and president — through at least 2027, if not beyond. The Chinese Politburo is carefully chosen to be staffed by men who are loyal followers of Xi Jinping's thought.
That thought (“Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era”) seems to cover every aspect of Chinese life. Merit is given to those who study this material.
The Second Trend: Conformity and Control
The second trend is the increasing removal of many aspects of free speech and action, embedding mandatory Party conformity into every aspect of Chinese life. Xi has driven the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) more deeply into Chinese political, social, and economic life while constraining the influence of foreign ideas and economic competition.
Iain Johnston, a Harvard Professor, argues that Xi is trying to construct a “new spiritual world,” and that “Christianity is a deep and profound challenge to the government’s effort at constructing that new spiritual world.” The logical solution for Xi Jinping is to remove the Bible and increasingly replace it with orders that churches and seminaries should teach his thought instead.
The Third Trend: Global Ambitions
Thirdly, in international affairs, Xi has abandoned Deng’s low-profile foreign policy in favor of one that is ambitious and expansive. China is now a worldwide power, an assertive voice on every continent, and an increasingly dominant presence in many parts of the world.
China's Belt and Road policy spreads across the globe. A growing number of countries are feeling attracted to Beijing’s dream of a new, multipolar world order, “a world order in which the hegemony of the West is a thing of the past, and liberalism and democracy are no longer sacrosanct.”
China is successfully pursuing its own ideal of a post-Western, multipolar world order. “In that new order, countries will refrain from interfering in the internal politics of other countries, and the notion of ‘universal values’ is dismissed. The United States will be just one of the players. Thus, democracy and liberalism will no longer be a universal ideal, but only hold sway over certain parts of the world. The liberal world order will transform into a regional order. Autocratic forms of government will no longer be rejected out of hand, and the rules in this multipolar world order will mainly be set by China and its partners” (Ties Dams).
Pray for China
- Pray for the leadership of China in accordance with 1 Timothy 2:1-7 that there would be freedom to preach the gospel in China.
- Pray about China's influence in the world.
- Pray for Xi Jinping himself, that the God of the book of Daniel would visit him.
