'On Xi Jinping: How Xi’s Marxist Nationalism Is Shaping China and the World' by Dr. Kevin Rudd AC

NEW YORK, October 18, 2024 — Asia Society Policy Institute hosts the launch of the latest book by Hon. Dr. Kevin Rudd AC, “On Xi Jinping: How Xi’s Marxist Nationalism Is Shaping China and the World,” which explores Xi Jinping’s ideological worldview and its implications for China’s future direction and global influence. Participants include Dr. Rudd and Asia Society Vice President and Arthur Ross Director of the Center on U.S.-China Relations Orville Schell. New York Times journalist Li Yuan moderates the conversation. (1 hr., 20 min.)

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#asiasociety #asiasocietypolicyinstitute #china #xijinping #geopolitics #uschinarelations #Asia

[gallaxian]

Fascinating. Thank you, Asia Society and Dr. Rudd.

[yifanyue]

What I don't think Kevin should overlook is that in 2017 Donald Trump was inaugurated as President of the United States and launched a trade war by raising tariffs on China. As he mentions, 2017 was a pivotal point for Xi and this UNREASONABLE in fact caused a lot of fear in Chinese society. Prior to that time the US was China's largest trading partner and hundreds of small businesses relied on their economic ties with the US to survive, and the trade war led to serious economic ties being severed, which created a panic within China and brought back memories of the US placing warships in the Taiwan Straits in an attempt to physically blockade mainland China in 1956.

At the same time, the economic containment has made many key links, usually those parts of the chain with high technological content, such as chips and semiconductor content, unavailable to Chinese firms, which greatly reduces their competitiveness. The Chinese describe this as a sense of being suffocated. So the Chinese leadership decided to return to the Mao-era strategy of independence and autonomy, placing the pursuit of the entire industrial chain at the centre of its economic mission, which was seen as a way to ensure economic security. So since 2017 the Chinese government has been actively using industrial policy to ensure research and development in high-tech industries and increasing investment in research. And these attempts have been accompanied by the more determined detention of Huawei's vice president, Meng Wanzhou, by the Canadian government. The Chinese believe that getting rid of dependence on foreign countries in any field is necessary. That's why they are especially acquiring large quantities of raw ore mining rights around the world around 2020, as well as purchasing large quantities of energy and food after 2022 to ensure their own economy and food security.

I see no reason to complain about the self-protection strategy that the Chinese are displaying in these areas; economic insecurity in the context of economic globalisation is overshadowed by a combination of military allies and Western neoliberal ideology. But just as with the possible return of Donald Trump to the White House, these pitfalls have not disappeared and will become increasingly apparent.

[mrb]

Dr. Kevin Rudd’s analysis of Xi Jinping often focuses on his geopolitical and strategic thinking, particularly Xi's ambitions for China, his vision for its role on the world stage, and his adherence to Marxist-Leninist principles. While Dr. Rudd does reference aspects of China’s political philosophy, he tends to place less emphasis on the traditional Chinese cultural values that also shape Xi’s approach. These values, I believe, are key contributors to the Communist Party’s approach to managing the country and economy.

In my view, Xi’s thinking is indeed influenced by Confucian principles—such as hierarchy, respect for authority, and social stability—as well as historical traditions from China’s dynastic periods that emphasize strong, centralized governance. The fact that Chinese society has a long history of authoritarian-style governance is essential to understanding this. Traditional Chinese culture values harmony and unity, and this likely informs Xi's emphasis on maintaining internal cohesion and order. China’s history with Western imperialism, furthermore, likely contributes to Xi's strong stance on sovereignty and territorial integrity, which is rooted in a cultural emphasis on resilience and self-reliance. While Xi may often be focused on historical dialectics, particularly the fall of the Soviet Union, these cultural elements are also in play.

When I first came to China fifteen years ago, I learned that gun ownership was strictly prohibited. My initial reaction, as an outsider unfamiliar with Chinese culture, was that the government prohibited guns to prevent any potential resistance against single-party rule. But over time, through daily interactions, I came to understand how different Chinese culture is from Western cultures like those in the U.S., U.K., or France. For example, while there are laws in China, enforcement can be inconsistent, and people often act in their own interests, requiring the government to maintain order. This might be one reason the government restricts guns: in a society with high levels of corruption, widespread gun ownership could increase the potential for violence among citizens rather than against the government.

Ultimately, it would be fascinating if analysts like Dr. Rudd incorporated more cultural perspectives into their analysis, as this could provide a fuller view of the ideological and historical factors shaping Xi’s leadership style. This broader approach would deepen our understanding of how Xi and his administration conceptualize China’s future, both domestically and globally.

[chriswong]

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.” ― Sun Tzu, The Art of War Kevin Rudd is succumbing with truth.
How Asia Society invited guess know China PRC, is as much they understand the Frog of: The Scorpion & the Frog

[vincentwen]

Kevin Rudd is certainly one of most influential scholars in China politics in western world. However his analysis of Chinese politics and his attibuting of the rolling out of current Chinese politics development to Xi's ideology is quite superficial. If he read Chinese history a little bit more, he should be able to find out it is all about politics, about different classes, about central and local governments, about different interest groups. Xi's ideology isn't really so decisive in Chinese government policy making.

[Black_Sun_Dark_Star]

Dr Rudd is as usual very eloquent and knowledgeable about this subject. I wish the audience aren't that bias, always looking at China through the western mentality, especially that last Taiwanese lady.

[jinglee]

Rudd delivered yet another seemingly sophisticated “conversation” in the echo chamber, with a mixture of selected “history” and “politics” decorated with some “Mandarin”…

[Arugula]

Deng Xiaoping was educated in France as a young man. That western exposure distinguishes him from Xi Jinping who is home-grown.

[chriswong]

“If you wait by the river long enough, the bodies of your enemies will float by.” - ― Sun Tzu

[cgtian]

Dr. Rudd gave a scholarly analysis of Xi Jinping’s leadership principles, i.e., balancing CCP’s maximum/socialism and free markets/capitalism. However, he didn’t explain the reason why Xi undertakes such an approach. In my opinion, Xi’s objective is to improve the wellbeing of Chinese people. Most western audiences may not know that the essence of maximum/socialism is working class should have a fair share of the fruits/wealth created by their labor. While the essence of capitalism is to pursue profits. Each system has its own limitations/problems, as is evidently displayed by the collapse of socialist block, and disillusion of the people in the capitalist countries where democracy is replaced by plutocracy, i.e., the government is by the 1% and for the 1% rather than by the people and for the people!

Xi Jinping understands the problem of each system, he is trying to combine the positive side of each system to achieve common prosperity for the Chinese people.

His foreign policy reflects the same principle for the people of the world at large: mutual respect, win-win development, and peaceful coexistence.

But that doesn’t go well with the 1% or the hegemony, and that’s why the west is trying to stop or destroy China’s development!

[JIANGTG]

中国政府秉持和贯彻其座右铭 ： 空谈误国 ，实干兴邦 . ( EMPTY TALKS RUIN COUNTRY ; SMART AND HARD WORK PROSPERS NATION ).。 中国也重视 “ 让事实说话 ” ( LET THE FACTS TALK )。

[Itstheendoftheworldasweknowit]

A very honourable man.
Wise and well read.
Open and frank.

[michaelgourlay]

Finally the Asia Society rolls out a younger person!! :)

[angela]

Why put what XI JIN PING wrote under the microscope and not what DONALD TRUMP etc spoke/done on the so the called DEMOCRACY and even trying to export it and enforce it upon other countries. Thinkings change, policies change, habits and preferences change in every person every community over time.

[jayyoo]

Chinese version, 5 years' NESDP has been the locomotive to have pulled China and will continue.

[mattbowdenuh]

Given this discussion, I am reminded of Tsar Alexander III, especially after Catherine, Alexander I, Alexander II. He, like Xi, closed the door to liberal reform and went back to Russian authoritarianism, which of course is what sparked what happened later during Nicholas II's reign as the last tsar.

[MrSpiritsurf]

I was in Australia when he was the PM. Amazing and pragmatic leader Mr Rud was only to be deserted by some dirty individuals within his own party.

[chriswong]

Still, like the time of said Marco Polo visit China, if he ever did... still have no idea of China or it's people.

[richardz]

In this whole largely intelligent discussion, the one person turns out to be an absolutely idiotic character is the NY Times journalist moderator.

[kobemop]

You mean Marxism-Leninism (an ideology of Stalin) that proposes socialism in one country in conjunction to Lenin's theory surrounding the state and revolution.