The quest for national rejuvenation in China

The 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, October 18-24, has been President Xi Jinping's big moment.

This twice-a-decade meeting is akin to a closed-door election. President Xi has been formally granted a second five-year term as the party's General Secretary. The Congress has also anointed a new generation of senior leaders. The new leadership, for the next five years, includes the seven-strong Politburo Standing Committee, whose members effectively rule China. These appointments were predetermined through a long period of secretive bargaining between party power brokers.

The Congress which started on October 18 at the Great Hall of the People in Tiananmen Square, in the heart of Beijing, was attended by 2,287 delegates from around the country. They represented nearly 90 million Party members.

At stake was charting out China's future course in a world where its reach is gradually extending and reaching out within the global strategic paradigm. This meeting was seen, according to Christopher Johnson, the Freeman Chair in China Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, not only as a way of identifying President Xi's vision and what might eventually contribute to his legacy, but also, as a referendum on Xi's success in positioning himself as China's unquestioned political supremo.

Xi has taken several important steps over the last two years. These include the anti-corruption drive against senior leaders, a crackdown on free speech in support of national security, and radical overhaul of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, the world's largest fighting force.

Xi's crackdown on corruption has been a hallmark of his leadership. He graphically underlined that "No tolerance has been shown in the fight against corruption. We have taken firm action to take out tigers, swatted flies, and hunted down foxes."  The anti-graft drive has initiated greater accountability among more than one million officials in China. Consequently, China, its neighbours, as well as the rest of the world paid attention.

There is now a speculation as to whether Xi will undertake steps to stay in power beyond 2022, breaking a tradition followed by his two predecessors and emulating Russian President Vladimir Putin. This possibility is receiving special attention because of guesswork as to whether the world might see China gradually stepping into the global leadership vacuum as the USA continues to turn inward under President Donald Trump.

Since 2012 Xi has carefully and boldly eschewed the cautious foreign policy that had been the hallmark of his predecessors. This period has seen the development of China's first overseas military base, military build-up in the disputed South China Sea territorial waters and the unveiling of the grand economic and connectivity plan of the world economy as outlined in the One Belt, One Road initiative.

Till now, China appears to have more or less been consistent with global norms associated with international order. Analysts, however, now urge caution as to whether the growing giant will continue to remain on this course or whether it will deviate from the expected course of action. This has assumed importance particularly at a time when the world badly needs China's assistance in tackling the North Korean issue. Some are suggesting that the first test of how this might play out will be clearer in November when Xi hosts Trump on his inaugural visit to Asia.

In the meantime the Chinese leadership appears to have made it very clear to North Korea that they need to desist from provocative actions. In this regard, observers like Ben Westcott, Yuli Yang and Steven Jiang have drawn attention to North Korea's track record of provoking its only ally during key-profile events in China. For example, North Korea fired off missiles during the 2016 G-20 meeting convened in Hangzhou, during the One Belt, One Road forum this May and again, during the BRICS summit in Xiamen this September. It has been stressed indirectly during the CPC Congress that such actions in the coming weeks would be viewed as having crossed the red line and directly challenging China's national and international interests.

President Xi Jinping during his three-and-a-half-hour speech at the Congress, on several occasions used the word "Mission" to convey his views regarding modernisation. He indicated that China, under his leadership, would continue its quest to become a rich, strong and powerful nation in the next two decades. This message was not lost neither on the domestic nor the international audience. He emphasised that this required international cooperation. With regard to dealing with Hong Kong, Taiwan and also matters related to the South and East China seas, Xi's language was categorical and strong. Observers noted that there was no suggestion of compromise or pluralism.

On issues of foreign relations, Xi appeared to focus less on specifics and more on a common humanity approach. The connotation was that China has an interest in working with the world, and the world working with China. There was also the denotation that such activity would not be at the cost of China's sovereignty or national interests. This matrix laid out the approaches that would be undertaken in the areas of culture, ideology and also morals.

Xi also detailed China's economic accomplishments in the last five years, including the lifting of 60 million people out of poverty, improving living standards, education, enhancing law, order and national security.

Some commentators have noted that the degree of acceptance of Xi's ideas was reflected through the prolonged applause that followed when he touched on issues like bringing real estate speculation under control and reducing levels of poverty in both urban and rural areas. Xi's deep and humble bow to delegates at the conclusion of his address was also met with genuine warmth and approval.

Security in Beijing, and the rest of China, was extremely tight during the duration of the Congress. There was also strict internet censorship and the widespread deletion of "sensitive content" on social media.

At the Congress, Xi has been able to raise his status and cement his standing within the Chinese political historical matrix through the unveiling of his much lauded "Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese characteristics for a New Era". Observers have noted that this step has elevated his stature nearer to Chairman Mao Zedong, the founding father of the People's Republic of China in 1949. No other Chinese leader, other than Chairman Mao, has had an eponymous ideology included in the Final Document while in Office.

The Communist Party gave Xi the title of "core" leader a year ago, thereby strengthening his position ahead of the Congress. Party Officials have now hailed him as a wise and great "lingxiu" or "a revered leader" - a title that was bestowed only on Chairman Mao and his short-lived successor Hua Guofeng. This has been another sign that Xi, who came to power in 2012, has now accumulated more respect than his immediate predecessors, Hu Jintao and Jiang Zemin. As a consequence, analysts are now predicting that there will be a possibility whereby Xi might be considered for staying on in some capacity beyond the end of his second term in 2022.

"Xi Jinping Thought" has 14 main principles which not only emphasise Communist ideals but also:

l Calls for "complete and deep reform" and "new developing ideas",

l Promises "harmonious living between man and nature",

l Emphasizes "absolute authority of the Party over the People's Army" and

l Reiterates the importance of "'one country two systems' and reunification with the motherland". This last factor deals with the question of development of cross-Strait ties under the "One China Principle" related to Taiwan and implementing the policy of "one country, two systems" with regard to Hong Kong and Macau.

Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has correctly noted that the CPC Congress would help China in building a different kind of economy of innovation, moving up the value chain and using new kinds of technologies. One needs to remember that after assuming power in 2012, President Xi faced some serious problems - the stock market crash and run on China's currency in late 2015 and early 2016. He has been able to overcome these difficulties. By combating corruption the Party has increased public trust in it and increased confidence on the Party leadership. Business ethics, which measure up to international standards, have similarly played an important role. This aspect has been particularly important in view of China's initiative to implement the One Belt, One Road initiative.

At the Congress, Xi has reiterated Chinese national priorities within the geo-strategic paradigm. His comment, "China will never pursue development at the expense of others' interests, but nor will China ever give up its legitimate rights and interests," has through one sentence raised his international profile as against the evolving turbulence that characterises international relations.

The crunch moment came at the end of the Congress, when the Politburo Standing Committee, led by Xi, strode out onto the stage of the Great Hall of the People in a carefully choreographed performance of political pomp. That was a lesson for many outside the Great Hall.

The writer, a former Ambassador and Chief Information Commissioner of the Information Commission, is an analyst specialised in foreign affairs, right to information and good governance.

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