Tag Archives: Deng Xiaoping

Modi-Xi ‘Informal Summit’: Misplaced Hopes

28 April 2018Foreign Policy, War and Conflict'informal summit', boundary dispute, Chinese investments, Deng Xiaoping, economic relations, Narendra Modi, one belt, one road' (OBOR) / 'belt and road' initiative (BRI), protectionism, Rajiv Gandhi, Sino-Indian relations, trade deficit, Xi JinpingJabin T. Jacob

China has many ways of affecting Indian politics. Indeed, an India-China ‘reset’, as envisaged by the Narendra Modi government and represented by the “informal summit” between Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, has the very strong domestic context of several major state-level elections later this year and the general elections next year.

There are two big expectations that the Modi government appears to entertain here — both of which rest on shaky foundations. Continue reading Modi-Xi ‘Informal Summit’: Misplaced Hopes →

19th National Congress of the CPC: Xi Jinping Firmly in Charge

27 October 2017Comparative Politics, Foreign Policy, Political Parties19th Party Congress, anti-corruption campaign, Chinese foreign policy, Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), Communist Party of China (CPC), Deng Xiaoping, Hu Jintao, Jiang Zemin, Mao Zedong., Politburo Standing Committee (PBSC), Sino-Indian relations, Xi JinpingJabin T. Jacob

Xi Jinping is officially China’s strongest leader in decades. The Communist Party of China’s Politburo Standing Committee (PBSC) was unveiled at the end of the 19^th National Congress of the CPC in Beijing yesterday with Xi Jinping reelected General Secretary for a second term. The 7-member PBSC includes besides Xi and his Premier Li Keqiang, at least four of Xi’s close allies in key positions. Also, in a departure from Party norms it offers no choice of potential successors to take over from Xi in 2022 when again according to norms, he is supposed to step down from power.

This composition of the PBSC in favour of Xi is the culmination of a series of steps he has taken over the past five years, foremost of which was a popular and far-reaching anti-corruption campaign that netted hundreds of senior Party and military officials including a potential rival and a former PBSC member, no less. Continue reading 19th National Congress of the CPC: Xi Jinping Firmly in Charge →