China's Xi Jinping has faced pressure to control the spread of COVID-19 and continue to grow the economy as a potential third term nears.

Shannon Longworth Reporter

Xi Jinping looks to third term as COVID lockdowns draw criticism

May 23, 2022

Shannon Longworth Reporter

By Shannon Longworth (Reporter), Emma Stoltzfus (Editor)

Chinese President Xi Jinping has faced pressure to control the spread of COVID-19 and continue to grow the economy as his potential third term nears. He can legally seek out another term in power because the National People’s Congress removed presidential term limits in 2018.

Xi’s approach to managing COVID-19 has been one of several policies that are controversial among those in the west.

Under Xi, China’s treatment of Uyghurs–a Muslim minority group–has been a concern. The U.S. Department of State has referred to it as “genocide.” Additionally, Xi has indicated that China would like to bring Taiwan back into the fold, and he has not ruled out the use of force to accomplish the goal.

SHANNON LONGWORTH: WE KNOW VLADIMIR PUTIN IS CONFIDENT, AND KIM JONG UN’S SUPPOSEDLY OUTGOING.

BUT XI JINPING? HIS PERSONALITY IS MORE MYSTERIOUS–AT LEAST TO THOSE OF US IN THE WEST.

AND BECAUSE HE’S THE PRESIDENT OF ONE OF AMERICA’S GREATEST ADVERSARIES,

XI JINPING IS JUST ONE NAME YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY.

BORN IN 1953, XI WAS THE SON OF PROMINENT PARENTS IN BEIJING.

HIS DAD WAS A FORMER DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER UNDER MAO ZEDONG UNTIL HE CRITICIZED THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY AND WAS FORCED OUT.

NOW, XI’S THE LATEST LEADER OF THAT VERY PARTY…AND HE’S PULLING CHINA IN TWO DIRECTIONS.

FORWARD, AS AN ECONOMIC AND MILITARISTIC SUPERPOWER ON THE WORLD STAGE, AND BACKWARD, AS CITIZENS LIVE IN AN INCREASINGLY CENSORED SOCIETY.

XI CLEARLY DOES NOT TOLERATE CRITICISM OF THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY.

HE ALSO DOESN’T TOLERATE WESTERN SCIENTIFIC ADVANCEMENTS–SUCH AS THE MRNA COVID VACCINES FROM PFIZER AND MODERNA.

INSTEAD, UNDER XI’S RULE, STATE MEDIA PROMOTED DOMESTIC VACCINES, WHICH WORK DIFFERENTLY AND–AS A TOP CHINESE OFFICIAL SAID–ARE NOT VERY EFFECTIVE. OH, AND THEN THERE ARE THE INFAMOUS CITY LOCKDOWNS.

THE POINT IS, THE NARRATIVE THAT CHINA CAN’T CONTROL THE VIRUS DOESN’T REFLECT WELL ON XI. ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE FIRST FEW CASES WERE DISCOVERED ON HIS SOIL.

SO, HIS GOVERNMENT CENSORS REALITY.

ACCORDING TO THE US STATE DEPARTMENT, XI’S GOVERNMENT IS *ALSO* RESPONSIBLE FOR “GENOCIDE” WHEN IT COMES TO THE TREATMENT OF THE UYGHURS–A MUSLIM MINORITY GROUP IN CHINA.

US POLITICIANS GENERALLY STAND AGAINST THESE THINGS BECAUSE…YA KNOW…WE HAVE A CONSTITUTION ESTABLISHING FREEDOM OF SPEECH, THE PRESS, AND RELIGION.

THESE FUNDAMENTAL DISAGREEMENTS FEED THE APPEARANCE OF A CONTEST BETWEEN WEST AND EAST.

AND XI HAS SOMETHING IN COMMON WITH OTHER EASTERN LEADERS.

SIMILARLY TO THE WAY PUTIN SPEAKS ABOUT BRINGING UKRAINE BACK INTO RUSSIA….XI POINTS OUT THAT CHINA WANTS TAIWAN BACK. AND THE USE OF FORCE IS VERY MUCH IN HIS SIGHTS.

SO THAT’S XI JINPING. JUST ONE NAME YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY.