Did Xi Jinping send a message to Joe Biden?
On 22 October, former president Hu Jintao, who shows signs of senility similar to those of Joe Biden[1], was escorted out manu militari[2], in the middle of the closing session of the 20th Congress of the Chinese Communist Party. With this spectacular removal, did Xi Jinping want to send a message to Joe Biden, to America and to the world?
Did Xi send a message to America and to the world?
What if this removal were a metaphor for the desired removal of Joe Biden, who shows symptoms of senility similar to those of Hu Jintao[3][4]? And, through it, a metaphor for the planned removal of America, presented as an ageing and weakened empire?
In any case, the new Chinese leadership team, elected for 5 years, no longer includes a single Americanist, but rather proponents of a conquering line[5]. If they achieve the goals they have set themselves, by the end of their term the balance of power will have shifted even further against the empire of “manifest destiny”[2], and further in favour of “the Middle Kingdom”[2].
What happened?
China – soon to be the world's largest economy in terms of GDP[8], the most populous country in the world[9], a country that has seen one of the strongest developments since the beginning of the 21st century[10], and that keeps increasing its influence in every region of the non-Western world (East[11] and Central Asia[12], Middle East[13][14], Africa[15][16][17] and even South America[18][19]) – has just elected a new Central Committee for 5 years.
During the closing session of the congress, a strange scene took place that has commentators in a frenzy: former Chinese president Hu Jintao was led out of the hall, by force and clearly against his will, while he was sitting directly next to the current leader Xi Jinping[20]. Is the event a signal aimed at domestic politics? The sign of a “purge” of Hu's faction in favour of Xi loyalists? The official reason is simply medical: the former leader is indeed rather frail[21].
An anti-American turn
Another explanation, not incompatible with the first, would be that through this staging Xi Jinping also wanted to draw the world's attention to his re-election, and perhaps send a message internationally. Is it the message of the removal of the proponents of a conciliatory line towards the United States? Former Prime Minister Li Keqiang[22], Hu Jintao's protégé, was indeed one of its representatives; he was part of the former leadership team but is not part of the new one.
The new Standing Committee that will lead China for the next 5 years[23] seems to embody a resolutely conquering foreign policy[24], whose ambition is clearly to wrest from the United States its status as the world's leading power[25].
In your opinion, where will the Sino-American rivalry stand in 5 years? And what will the consequences be for us Europeans?
By Nicolas Mertens, citizen journalist for BAM!
[1] Saudi TV Savages Joe Biden as Senile in Comedy Sketch as Relations Hit Low
[2] VIDEO. Congrès du Parti communiste en Chine : l’ex-président Hu Jintao escorté vers la sortie
[3] Should the nation be concerned about Biden’s cognitive abilities? | The Hill
[4] Chinese ex-President Hu Jintao forcefully removed from party congress - The Jerusalem Post
[5] The 7 men who will rule China | The Straits Times
[6] Manifest Destiny | Summary, Examples, Westward Expansion, and Significance | Britannica
[7] Pourquoi la Chine s’appelle L’empire du milieu
[8] La Chine, première économie mondiale dès 2028
[9] Chine : le nombre d’habitants a progressé de 72 millions en dix ans
[10] En Chine, l’essor des infrastructures, un modèle menacé
[11] Comment la Chine avance ses pions en Asie du Sud-est - Contrepoints
[12] La Chine et le retour en Asie centrale - Asialyst
[13] La Chine au Moyen-Orient : un rôle en évolution
[14] Comment la Chine renforce son influence au Moyen-Orient
[15] Les influences chinoises en Afrique. 1. Les outils politiques et diplomatiques du “grand pays en développement” | IFRI
[16] Chine : le pays étend son influence en Afrique
[17] La Chine en Afrique : une influence grandissante - Espace mondial : l’Atlas
[18] L’Amérique du Sud, nouveau terrain de conquête de la Chine | Slate.fr
[19] ENQUÊTE. Chine : comment Pékin fait main basse sur l’Amérique latine - L’Express
[20] VIDEO. Congrès du Parti communiste en Chine : l’ex-président Hu Jintao escorté vers la sortie
[21] Hu Jintao exfiltré: les explications officielles du régime chinois
[22] Chine: les adieux du Premier ministre Li Keqiang
[23] The 7 men who will rule China | The Straits Times
[24] Xi Jinping clôture le congrès du PC chinois sur un appel à "oser se battre" - rts.ch - Monde
[25] China 2025, l’irresistible ambition économique - Le Temps
Photo source:
Image Imago / Kyodo News
