5 - Xi Jinping’s Centralization of Power

Summary

The rise of Xi Jinping presents a stark contrast to the early periods of Jiang Zemin’s and Hu Jintao’s rule. Like Jiang and Hu, Xi was given a weak hand to play. But unlike Jiang and Hu, Xi launched a campaign against corruption that strengthened his power enormously. At the same time, he stressed the threat of “peaceful evolution,” which had brought down the Soviet Union, and underlay the “color revolutions” in Central Asia. This campaign saw a tightening of control over ideology. Xi also undertook an extensive reform of the military. Although this reform facilitated operational matters, it enabled Xi to gain personal control over the military (PLA).