A THIRD TERM & A TIGHTENED GRIP

On October 16th, the National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) assembled for its twentieth session in Tiananmen Square for a week of speeches and meetings. The Congress, which convenes every fifth year to choose new leaders, review last term’s progress, and set out future domestic and foreign policy goals, affects global markets and alliances.

Xi Jinping, China’s president since 2013, opened the gathering of the 2000-plus members by reiterating the CCP’s priorities of national security and economic development (Bloomberg). Xi also strongly defended his zero-COVID policy, emphasizing China’s success at limiting mortality and the pandemic spread. It was also clear from his words that Xi views the West, primarily the United States, as a threat and broadly warned that China must “be ready to withstand dangerous storms” to overcome potential obstacles (NYT). Xi lauded his government for “ending the chaos” in Hong Kong, where the mostly peaceful protests in May of 2020 calling for democratic reforms, were met with brutal military force (Al Jazeera). Since then, the Chinese government has tightened its grip over Hong Kong. Xi also condemned outside interference in Taiwanese affairs, after a visit in early August by the U.S. House of Representatives Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, who became the highest ranking official to visit Taiwan in a quarter of a century (Japan Times). At the time, the White House bristled at the Pelosi visit, but since President Biden has voiced the U.S.’s security commitment to Taiwan.

The self-governing island of Taiwan, known as the Republic of China since 1912, is 100 miles off the coast of southeastern China with its own history, culture, and political objectives. During the 1990s, Taiwan transitioned from a military dictatorship to a multi-party democracy with universal direct elections. Almost 80 percent of those born in Taiwan since that time—myself included—hold an exclusive Taiwanese identity, with negative views of unification with China. Taiwan remains the only democracy in the Chinese-speaking world (Washington Post).

The Communist Party Congress is nothing but a facade of democracy, as its members are loyal supporters of Xi and dissenting factions are not represented. This year’s Congress, besides the usual pomp and circumstance, “re-elected” Xi for another presidential term. No other Chinese leader has held a third-term since Mao Zedong, who founded the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in 1949. This break from historical norms represents China “moving into a new era”, according to Yun Sun, a senior fellow of the East Asia Program, as Xi shifts from a primarily domestic agenda to a global one (NPR). Xi, unlike his predecessors, has taken an aggressive stance towards the U.S. On paper, the U.S. complies with the One-China policy, recognizing the PRC as the sole legal government of China. However, it maintains “strategic ambiguity” around the issue of Taiwan’s sovereignty. Biden’s position—along with the oppression of the Uyghurs in Western China and Xi’s crackdown on any semblance of Hong Kong autonomy—has increased tensions between the two countries.

When Xi first assumed power, there was hope that Xi would become a reformer, but those hopes have not been realized. Instead, world powers must face the difficult truth that China is becoming increasingly nationalist, authoritarian, and repressive under Xi and represents a significant geopolitical security challenge.

BY OLIVIA WASMUND IMAGE FROM KYODO NEWS ART BY ERIN KIM