China’s Own Business

We have a press that thinks it has a say in every issue that comes up in the world, so when the Party Chairman in China wants to change the rules and become Emporer for Life, the press gives reasons why it should not be so.  This is really China’s business and no others.  They have done pretty well by President Xi, and thinking about holding onto him past his two terms is probably not out of line.  The one thing about it is - it is none of our business.

We recognize a lot of differences between ourselves and the Chinese, not the least of which is a difference in governance.  Most countries could not live in a society like the one China has created for itself, but it does what it is supposed to do:  it gives opportunities for business, provides for a national defense, and creates harmony within its borders.  In the last few years, most of the credit for that goes to Xi.  If they really want to keep him in power, it is their decision to make.

Let me amend that remark and say that it is not their decision in a the plural context, i.e. they are not having a referendum calling for the extension of Xi’s tenure.  The people don’t get to make that kind of decision.  If they did a poll and asked what the feeling would be about keeping him on for life, the results would favor such a decision.  Where information is controlled like it is in China, polls show what they are supposed to show.  Sina Weibo, the knock-off Twitter,  has already started to filter out (censor) the words “two term limit”.  That is a clear indication the people will have no say in whether the term is extended, and will not be discussing it on-line.  When the government wants no discussion, it has the power to limit that discussion, and that is one of the major contributions the Party has made to governance.  The ability to censor,  both internally and externally, is one of Xi’s great achievements.  

So, whether the Chinese people favor such a move is not of concern to the government.  Xi is not the first Chinese leader to become Emperor for Life, and with the controls on thought,  he won’t be the last.