Insights into China’s Governance

I was on a trip to the United States when the third volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China was published. The volume offers such fascinating reading that I hoped others would also discover it.

The latest volume is a collection of 92 of President Xi Jinping’s spoken and written works from October 18, 2017 to January 13, 2020. It discusses topics ranging from national governance and China’s reform and opening up to the global community of shared future across 19 sections, which include: Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era; Overall CPC Leadership; State System and National Governance; The People as Masters of the Country; Poverty Elimination and a Moderately Prosperous Society; Further Reform; All-Round Opening Up; Risk Management; High-Quality Development; Socialist Democracy; Chinese Culture; The People’s Wellbeing; Harmony Between Humanity and Nature; The People’s Armed Forces; Hong Kong, Macao and China’s Peaceful Reunification; China’s Diplomacy as a Major Country; A Global Community of Shared Future; The Belt and Road Initiative; and Self-Reform of the CPC.

Such a list of topics evidences the intellectual depth of Chinese leadership, and the content demonstrates China’s sound assessment of its stage of growth and stature. Aspirational but realistic, China’s leadership knows how to meet the expectations of its people and the world. For example, Xi refers to China as a ‘major country’ rather than a ‘superpower,’ and when it comes to economic growth, the goal is always qualified with ‘high-quality.’ While underlining the military’s preparedness and combat capability, Xi emphasizes that the Party’s absolute leadership over the armed forces must be upheld, and that full and strict Party governance must be exercised.

This is only scratching the surface of this volume. So much remains to be learned from China’s experience and Chinese President Xi Jinping’s wisdom.

The author is President of the Pakistan Institute for Media and Communications.