The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    N. Korea holds politburo meeting to discuss Kim-Putin summit: KCNA

  • 3

    Scientists find green way to turn CO2 into fuel with sunlight

  • 5

    BTS member Suga begins mandatory military service

  • 7

    Kim Jong-un's rejection of Russia's food assistance irritates North Korean defectors

  • 9

    Seoul invites ambassadors to introduce new halal foods in Korea

  • 11

    Yoon says arms deal between N. Korea, Russia would be 'direct provocation' against S. Korea

  • 13

    US striving to stop NK's potential weapons support to Russia 'wherever we can': Blinken

  • 15

    Honey-dipped cookie to represent 'K-desserts' at global food expo in Germany

  • 17

    Top court upholds life sentence for woman over drowning husband for insurance money

  • 19

    From friend to foe: NK athletes of 2018 joint Korean teams return as rivals to S. Korea

  • 2

    30 people purchased 8,000 homes: data

  • 4

    BTS defies K-pop's 'seven-year curse'

  • 6

    National Assembly passes motion to arrest DPK chief

  • 8

    Gender equality minister nominee in hot seat over remarks on abortion

  • 10

    Rights experts from 17 countries demand release of North Korean escapees in China

  • 12

    Aespa's VR concert to hit theaters Oct. 25

  • 14

    S. Korea condemns Russia, seeks to mend ties with China

  • 16

    COVID-19 deaths hit record high in Korea for 2022

  • 18

    KG Mobility seeks breakthrough in Europe

  • 20

    National Assembly passes arrest motion against opposition leader

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
Sat, September 23, 2023 | 00:30
Times Forum
China holds itself up as model for world
Posted : 2018-03-20 17:16
Updated : 2018-03-20 17:15
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
By Frank Ching

Last October, China raised its leader, Xi Jinping, to dizzying heights when it wrote "Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era" into the Communist Party constitution.

Now, the National People's Congress, China's parliament, has incorporated the thought into the state constitution. It has also shed some light on what the "new era" holds. It will be an era when Xi, who was formally elected to a second five-year term as president March 17, would be able to serve in office indefinitely, since term limits were lifted by the congress.

At the same time, he holds two other key positions ― leader of the Communist Party and chairman of the Central Military Commission ― making him by far the most powerful person in the country, without real curbs.

In China, term limits have a special meaning. The U.S. introduced term limits after Franklin D. Roosevelt had been elected to four consecutive terms as president, and there was a feeling that that was too long a period for any person to have so much power.

In China, term limits were introduced after the death of Mao Zedong to ensure that no future leader could emerge who would be in a position to bring about the massive abuse of power, including the calamity known as the Cultural Revolution, that characterized Mao's 26-year autocratic rule.

In doing so, China is taking a huge risk with its future. It seems to have forgotten the adage, "Power tends to corrupt, absolute power corrupts absolutely." No matter who good and wise a leader may be, he is human. Is it wise to give any human being such untrammeled power?

The party's propaganda organs have been busy defending this seemingly retrograde action. The China Daily in an editorial applauded the development, saying that China now has "a resolute helmsman to guide its journey of rejuvenation and lead it to the realization of its dream of becoming a prosperous, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful modern socialist country."

This is the realization of the China Dream, which Xi Jinping articulated in November 2012, when he became leader of the Communist Party. According to the schedule he has laid out, it will be fully realized in 2050. By that time, Xi will be 97 years old.

Before his formal assumption of power in 2012 as the party's general secretary, he served five years as heir apparent, during which time he evidently planned the moves he would make to consolidate his power, including the anti-corruption campaign and One Belt, One Road.

One indication of Xi's attitude toward China and the rest of the world was provided when he visited Mexico as vice president in 2009, during the global financial crisis.



While addressing an overseas Chinese audience, Xi asserted proudly that China had made the biggest contribution to the world by feeding the 1.3 billion people in his country.

He also chastised foreigners ― read Westerners ― with "full bellies" who "have nothing better to do than try to point fingers at our country."

Now, China is busy courting third world countries. Towards the end of the parliamentary meeting, Xinhua, the state news agency, reported that "international scholars and observers" approved of the Chinese constitutional amendment, including inscribing Xi's thought into the state constitution.

Xinhua cited experts from Azerbaijan, Jordan, Lebanon, Russia, Ethiopia and Kazakhstan who believe the amendment would not only help safeguard China's domestic development but also world peace. Significantly, perhaps, no American or European scholars were cited.

The official party newspaper, the People's Daily, reported that "the world wants to know the secrets of China's success" and is "regarding the Chinese approaches as a role model."

"It is universally believed that with a view to modernizing its system and capacity for governance," it said, "China is making increasingly important contributions to global governance."

The emphasis on holding China up as a role model for the world is new. As recently as December, Xi at a gathering of political party leaders from other countries, said, "We will not ask other countries to copy the Chinese practice."

But Xi himself is now holding up the Chinese political system for emulation. At a meeting last week of the country's top advisory body, he described China's political system as "a great contribution to political civilization of humanity."

It seems China wants more authoritarian countries to emerge, based on its model. The ambitious Belt and Road Initiative involves dozens of countries with which China will have to deal. Having authoritarian governments in place, especially those that take China as a model, will make negotiations much easier.


Frank Ching (Frank.ching@gmail.com) is a Hong Kong-based journalist. Follow him on Twitter: @FrankChing1
.



 
miguel
Top 10 Stories
1Scientists find green way to turn CO2 into fuel with sunlightScientists find green way to turn CO2 into fuel with sunlight
2Kim Jong-un's rejection of Russia's food assistance irritates North Korean defectors Kim Jong-un's rejection of Russia's food assistance irritates North Korean defectors
3Opposition party in turmoil as leader could be arrested on TuesdayOpposition party in turmoil as leader could be arrested on Tuesday
4Saudi Arabia celebrates 93rd National DaySaudi Arabia celebrates 93rd National Day
5Korea boosts subsidies to rev up falling EV sales Korea boosts subsidies to rev up falling EV sales
6Foreign employees rewarded for contribution to Korea's shipbuilding industry Foreign employees rewarded for contribution to Korea's shipbuilding industry
7Lawmakers want to grill business tycoons over decision to rejoin FKI Lawmakers want to grill business tycoons over decision to rejoin FKI
8'Songpyeon' for low-income families 'Songpyeon' for low-income families
9Gov't reviews changing description of Fukushima wastewater Gov't reviews changing description of Fukushima wastewater
10Big insurers up for sale, but financial conglomerates appear disinterestedBig insurers up for sale, but financial conglomerates appear disinterested
Top 5 Entertainment News
1BLACKPINK's contract renewal still in limbo BLACKPINK's contract renewal still in limbo
2[INTERVIEW] Virtual K-pop group MAVE: is more than just pretty pixels INTERVIEWVirtual K-pop group MAVE: is more than just pretty pixels
3Hebrew University students travel to Korea to explore musical landscape Hebrew University students travel to Korea to explore musical landscape
4[INTERVIEW] 'Cobweb' director questions meaning of cinema INTERVIEW'Cobweb' director questions meaning of cinema
5[INTERVIEW] Seoul's increased art market momentum brings Sotheby's back to Korea INTERVIEWSeoul's increased art market momentum brings Sotheby's back to Korea
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group