China's 19th Party Congress: Implications for China and the United States

No sitting Chinese leader since Mao Zedong has arrogated as much power to himself as the current Communist Party Secretary, Xi Jinping. The 19th Party Congress, which convenes on October 18 and runs for one week, will offer important measures of what Xi intends to do during his second five-year term and whether he plans to extend his power beyond the traditional ten-year limit. Xi’s policy priorities will be a major determinant of Sino-U.S. relations and of the fate of international liberal norms as the two great powers compete for global influence. The Kissinger Institute’s review of the 19th Party Congress examines how a Risen China is likely to manage its domestic and foreign affairs over the next five years and beyond.

[johnzen]

I did not read Xi's report but I can't help to comment after listening to the two speakers.
1. Quote from Dao De Jing and then mix that with Confucius sounds funny to me. Dao De Jing is by Lao Zi, it talks about the relationship between oneself and environment, while Confucius tries to define his way of achieving a harmonious society by having good value in oneself, then within family and country, (the phrase this speaker quoted: "修身齐家治国平天下".) The two books talk about different concepts.

2. One speaker talks about modern value as consensus to govern and power corrupt. A US survey (Pew) showed consistent high satisfaction (>85 %) of Chinese people to the Chinese government. When I asked many of my Chinese friends if they want to convert to citizenship from residency of a foreign nation, most of them prefer keeping Chinese citizenship and remain as a resident of the foreign nation. This demonstrates the high legitimacy of the Chinese government. Most democratic countries have less satisfaction with its government (<50%). According to the speaker, this means that these countries has less legitimacy to govern than Chinese government.

3. I am living in a western country that practice democracy. Crimes are not been solved. Polices are known to issue traffic ticket instead of catching criminals. Infrastructure not keeping up and always just been talked away. Corruption has been talked away; recently someone was paid a million when he left a job in a small council, I hear no follow up. Housing problem has been talking for years; it goes from one record year to another record year; speculators are happy, council is happy for more rate, central government happy for more tax and economy activities, banks are happy for more profit; all politician talk about is that it is immigrants, it is foreigners buying. Many of my friends are resigned to the politicians of all talk do nothing i.e. non-functioning governance. While the speaker is fonded of talking check and balance, I am just so dejected when this turns into all check but nothing else... Is this the great Western value everyone around the globe should emulate?

[leklektan]

Is it a joke. Who care if you have a problem with Xi speech??

[MrChuyepto]

I also will tell the whole Muslims all over the world to come to the rescue of a Muslim Xinjiang country which is being held hostage by China and proibing their people to practice their religion😷

[richardlee]

As much as I want to here Ambassador Roy, 40 second into the intro the Asian looking lady "... like Game of Thrones.." c ya!

[ashalivarma]

Any world leader who gives his own people a speech which lasts more than three hours is doomed

[leklektan]

They guy talk as if China need to justify with him to develop their own military power??

[ashalivarma]

They do not have a governance system. It is a dictatorship. So how can they play a harmonious role. He is hegemonic and arrogant.

[Wei-zwbp]

You would never understand how party control the military, and why it's OK in China, right? Read the history.

[charlesqiu]

I am proud to be a Chinese, proud of our culture

[ashalivarma]

First he has to stop wearing suits. The women also should also wear only tradional clothes. Then they have to go back in time, way back as communism brought China away from its old value system.

[richardlee]

Had to watch because of "Dao De Jing" and "Confuscius"... as usually am very impressed by Amb. Roy's knowledge of China and his intellect. Probably as good as it gets for a China expert from North America. But there many aspects of Chinese philosophies and cultures that Amb. Roy had not yet entertained that deals with cosmos beyond the so-called human "universality" . Fu Xi 伏羲，Lao Zi 老子, and Confucius 孔子 all dealt with human nature and the cosmos much deeper than any Western concept of "universality". In short, the core of Chinese civilization already has benign universal appeal more than any Western thought could ever achieved. However, do not confuse communistic populist politics with Chinese civilization. Marxism and Communism are the antithesis of Chinese classical philosophies. These two backward unenlightened European ideologies are tolerated by the mass by necessity as long as military threats from China's historical invaders exist, mainly the US and Japan and to lesser degree Western Europe.

[xiongbeijiang]

4/7/1776 US established. There is no one always win. If US are No.1atm, then why China（or germany, uk, india, etc) don't have the right being better in the future. I guess UK done the same thing to US before. But they are friends now. So nothing is impossible and last forever.