Kevin Rudd: Understanding How China Sees the World
June 2, 2022 — Asia Society President and CEO Kevin Rudd examines the ideological underpinnings of China President Xi Jinping’s world view and how countries can create effective China policies. Asia Society Switzerland Executive Director Nico Luchsinger moderated the conversation. (1 hr., 11 min.)
Key Takeaways
Xi Jinping’s world view in ten concentric circles. Understanding how China sees the world is not just an idle academic reflection. What is unfolding underneath our feet is profound change. Xi has changed China and broke with the path of evolving continuity of his predecessors. He has taken Chinese politics and economics to the left, and nationalism and foreign policy to the right. It is vital to understand Xi’s world view, to be able to respond to it. His ten priorities are:
- Keep the Party in power, and himself as its leader, at all costs.
- Secure national unity as was done in Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong, and will be done in Taiwan.
- Grow the economy.
- Do so in an environmentally sustainable fashion.
- Modernize the military into a world class force that can fight and win wars.
- Have at least a benign relationship with the 14 neighbouring states, but preferably have them be compliant.
- Push the U.S. back by securing maritime influence in the Pacific and undermining American alliances in Asia.
- Convert Eurasia into a zone of economic opportunity that becomes increasingly dependent on China.
- Become an indispensable partner to the rest of the developing world.
- Change the nature of the international system, making it more compatible with China’s world view
With our thanks to the Asia Society for kindly sharing these insights.
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