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China’s president, Xi Jinping, holds an enormous amount of power and has obedience ranging from the highest officials to the small village committees, and with the recent decision by the National People’s Congress to get rid of the two term limit, setting up Xi to rule China for another decade, his power over people will increase. Chinese officials say that by extending Xi’s presidency, China will be ensured stable policies, and one way they are trying to ensure that happens is by centralizing power under Xi. However, this may cause real problems for China because Xi has put people of extreme loyalty and obedience into positions of power and they enforce his policies very rigidly and sometimes over-eagerly to try to please him. This sometimes results in people’s rights being infringed upon, but Xi has cracked down on rights lawyers, rights advocates, and people who question the government. One example of this is last summer, in northern China, officials had coal stoves ripped out and coal deliveries stopped in order to make the switch to natural gas which helps with China’s reduction on emissions, but in the winter, the supply of natural gas fell short, leaving many in the cold.
Discussion Questions:
What do you think the elimination of the presidential term limit means for the future of China?
Should other countries be concerned about China getting rid of their presidential term limit? Why or why not?
What can the people of China do to incite change in the government if they are unhappy with the leadership?
I think that the elimination of the presidential term limit forecasts a future where Mr. Xi, wielding an extraordinary amount of influence on his people, will expand his indulgence in his unlimited power. He has already shown signs of ruthlessness to his people, as you have mentioned above, to the people of Hebei. As Mr. Xi's power and influence grows, the more courage and willpower it will take to object him. Officials will do anything just to please him, being afraid to speak up. The desire to please people in power leads to corruption. I believe that straying away from democracy is like reversing your path, just as how China is moving towards autocracy like during Mao Zedong's rule. However, this change may benefit China's economy, as officials are more willing to making long-term plans, such as the Belt and Road Initiative (an ambitious policy to invest in infrastructure) and Xiong'an (a new city being built), being more confident in the stability of their leader's rule. However, other countries should definitely be concerned about China getting rid of their presidential term limit because countries that look up to China as their role model may decide to follow in their path. China, as a world leader with the second largest economy, should act as a role model for other countries. People should be able to elect their own leaders in order to be able to be represented in their own government, who in turn takes into account the wants and needs of those who voted for them. I believe that if Mr. Xi's unlimited rule continues, it will eventually turn into a dictatorship like North Korea. If people are unhappy with the government, I would suggest for them to leave the country immediately, as I believe that there is not much they can do to incite change within a government with no presidential term limits.
ReplyDeleteXi ultimately wants to become a dictator, like many Chinese leaders before him. This is a crucial point in Chinese history - if the Chinese people rebel and force Xi to step down or elect other leaders, this could serve as reminder that any attempts at autocracy-ifying the government will not sit well. However, if the Chinese people let Xi go forward with his centralization of power, China could lose all of its pro-Democracy progress and revert to a full autocracy in only a few decades under Xi.
ReplyDeleteWhile I do think that Xi is on the path to dictatorship, I don't see what the Chinese people can do to stop him. If the people try to rebel, the Chinese government will just stop them through force, and many people like and support Xi, so they have no problem with him remaining in power. However, I also think that a full autocratic government would not last in the international market, especially given China's slowing growth rate, and historically autocracies face many challenges, whether it be rebellion or mistrust in leadership.
DeleteOn the other hand, I believe that the Chinese people have recently been able to get more of a voice, People are increasingly voicing their concerns anonymously through social media and other means. Also, with international pressure, China has been forced to become increasingly lenient in their regulation of protests. However, this does not mean that president Xi cannot become a dictator, as we can see happening in the US.
DeleteI agree with Alexander that the ultimate goal of Xi is to become a dictator. If the limit for the presidential term is terminated, Xi, with all the power that he already has over the Chinese government will only increase. The civilians of China need to speak out against Xi. Because many of the people that are in power are loyal to Xi, corruption is happening. His followers are biased to anything that Xi, causing anything that Xi says to pass without question. In order for the limit of the presidential terms to stay, as I said before, the civilians of China need to stand up against the corruption because it they don´t now then the chances of Xi becoming is inevitable.
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ReplyDeleteAccording to a New York Times article, during the Cultural Revolution the Chinese learned the danger of concentrating power in one supreme leader, who ruled for life. In 1982, Chinese lawmakers approved a new constitution which stated that the president and vice president would serve no more than two consecutive terms. If Chinese people were afraid of concentrating power in one leader in the first place then why would they go back on this. President Xi must have power over the National People’s Congress in a big way since they have gone against what China agreed on in the past, that the vice president and president should only serve two terms. I think that other countries that don’t have a good relationship with President Xi should be concerned about China getting rid of their presidential term limit because that means that they will have to deal with him for a longer amount of time, which may result in conflicts for both China and the other country. On the other hand, countries that do have strong relationships with China would not be concerned with the extension of the presidential term. The people of China can’t do much to change the government, since China’s government is an autocracy. Though, I am sure that the people of China could start rallies and protests to incite change in the government if they are unhappy with the current leadership, but they run the risk of getting arrested and even beaten.
ReplyDeleteHaving Xi Jingping, as a "president" might be bad to China. Based on the article it is clear Xi has clear connections and he is a very strong influential leader, almost like a dictator. The future of China seems to have a more negative outlook in the future, as Xi did have thousands of migrants have their homes destroyed. According to BBC, they said that the censorship in China is used heavily, that even a photo of Xi shaking hands with an associate is filled in with a picture of Winnie the Pooh shaking hands instead. BBC has also stated in an article that Xi became president in 2013, and immediately used his power while showing off China as the worlds powerhouse. But Xi has not just done negative tasks he has some positive ones, he fought corruption and punished more than a million party member. This gave him his popularity. Overall I think that with Xi's prolonged term we will see China holding on to many emerging freedoms, increasing its state surveillance and censorship programs. (BBC) According to CNN, 2,964 ballots and just two delegates voted against the move suggesting there was very little effort into opposition to Xi's life term.
ReplyDeleteI think that getting rid of the presidential term limit is a bad for the future of China. With the presidential term, it ensured that there wouldn't be just one ruler who dictated over the country and government. With Xi's presidency without a presidential term limit, it makes his presidency seem like a dictatorship. I believe that China will begin to lean towards autocracy rather than democracy. Many of the people of China believe that China should slowly adjust their government to more democratic ways. China's move to more autocratic ways will lead to less freedoms of the people. If the people are upset about the government, they will begin to protest for what they believe is the right way, but this may cause a lot of tension between the government and citizens.
ReplyDeleteOther countries should be concerned about China's elimination of their presidential term limit because they will have to work with the current leader for a long time. This could be good for long term agreements, like ones related to climate change, but countries could lose influence over decades if their leaders disagree. Also, if Xi makes bad economic decisions because of an absence of accountability, other countries who are heavily invested in China's economy will suffer.
ReplyDeleteIn respect of the future, Xi Jinping has been a very effective ruler since 2013. His policies have continued the growth of China and the economic power within the country has grown. Although China is still a very much socialist state in Asia, it is still cooperating with the rest of the world for the most part is they partake in environmental conferences and help out internationally for problems. Because of this, the extension of the term limit can have a variety of good outcomes, however with too much power over a huge country there is always concern. People's rights still have to kept as long as possible, and with a leader that increases authority over the population, it is hard to keep both. Thus, as the term limit extends, there must be more caution with what powers are exercised in office, but there are still many ways in which China can benefit greatly from Xi Jinping.
ReplyDeleteOn the topic of climate change, President Xi said that solving China's problem of climate change and overpopulation will solve the world's problem. Conversely, China's internal problems will also affect the world. No country is a metaphorical island. Therefore other countries should be worried about China eliminating the presidential term limit. Xi is gaining too much power, which is very dangerous.
ReplyDeleteI think the the elimination will undoubtedly lead to President Xi taking on a more dictator like role in the future. Because he already has such widespread influence over China's people (the people's congress did vote for his term extension), his newfound extended leadership may make him more ruthless or merely more entitled to be ruthless to his people. It was once said that "absolute power corrupts absolutely" and now that Xi has an endless term limit and a lot of power, it is in the foreseeable future that he becomes more of a dictator than a president. I think other countries should definitely be concerned about this, because some of the problems that China has faced under Xi may persist. There is definitely a concern that human rights conditions will not improve in China, and as Xi grows in power other nations should be wary of the power he has and how he may be able to affect other countries.
ReplyDeleteThe elimination of the presidential term limit may indicate—as a Alex pointed out—that Mr. Xi’s wishes to become China’s next dictator. There is not much the people can do to create change because, as stated, Mr. Xi has already showed ruthlessness in enforcing his policies—the brutality he uses to enforce his rules would only increase as he gains power. Other countries should be wary of China in the future, as like Jossie states, China’s problems will affect the world. In addition, conditions in China could become like North Korea's, which also could be worrying. In generally, other countries should remain wary of events occurring in China for the foreseeable future.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, I do not believe there is an effective way for Chinese citizens to incite change in the government, assuming they even wanted that to happen. Throughout its history, the Chinese government has suppressed pro-democracy movements like shown at the Tienanmen Square protests. There are many restrictions on freedom of speech and assembly in China and those could be used to potentially silence those campaigning for change. Despite China changing much from the days of Mao Zedong, moves like this go to show that it is still very much an authoritarian government. Additionally, though this move has drawn worldwide condemnation, many Chinese citizens are happy with this move, as they value stability and believe President Jinping has done an effective job at battling corruption. The only way to deal with this issue is to put immense international pressure to put the two-term limit back into place again.
ReplyDeleteI agree with many of the other statements here in that the removal of the term limit may indicate China's transformation into a dictatorship in the foreseeable future. This is a very concerning development even for the US, the epitome of modern democracy, as President Trump responded to this news with "Maybe we'll give that a shot some day," a direct threat to the 22nd Amendment that was set up after FDR's four consecutive terms. Unfortunately, there is no easy way to incite change in China or similar governments like Russia or North Korea as the government wields so much power. The only way to reverse this would be to enlist the help of international pressure, which would likely cause huge tensions and spark conflicts.
ReplyDeleteI do believe the people of China should be concerned about their country getting rid of presidential terms. It can cause problems because no matter who their leader is not everyone will agree with what their leader is doing or just not like the leader. This could also be a problem because if China gets a bad leader they won't be able to wait until their term ends. Its also concerning that China can allow a leader to make a major law like that. China should reconsider their decision and make sure that they are setting up a government that is safe for their future.
ReplyDeleteAs many others said, this removal of the two term limit seems to be leading China on the path to dictatorship. President Xi already shows dictator-like qualities, such as his ruthless enforcement of policies and favoritism based off loyalty. Although the most sensible course of action to oppose this is to speak out or rebel, under his reign it would be harder to incite change in China. Past demonstrations have ended quite brutally and don't seem to be getting more peaceful; a perfect example would be the protests in Tiananmen Square. And like Andrew mentioned, China restricts the people's freedoms of speech and assembly to a further extent, making it hard for pro-democracy organizations to rise. If the people of China want to oppose their government, it would be most helpful to involve other nations that have more power/influence. We must keep in mind that we live in the epitome of democracy and liberalism - the Bay Area. However, under Trump, I believe that we should also be slightly worried; Trump himself shows no qualities of a good leader or intelligence regarding government and foreign affairs. While it is improbable that he will attempt to rise like a dictator, I do not believe the thought is completely exempt from his mind.
ReplyDeleteRemoving the term limit is a problem because it can cause president Xi to become a dictator. He may get carried away with power and success and sacrifice the comfort of his people to help boost his own image as shown in the coal stoves example. He wanted to show people that he was doing good for the environment, but the plan fell short and he left Chinese citizens in the cold. When there is a dictatorship, the people have less say, so they will be more limited. Also, because there are no new leaders being introduced to the government, they will not have as many new ideas to resolve problems facing China. All of the authorities will just try to please Xi, so they will do what he says. Also, Chinese citizens are being brainwashed to believe that Xi is a great leader, so most people in China love him. It affects other countries because China is a big and powerful country who often interacts with the other countries, such as with trading. The Chinese citizens could protest or rebel, but that could just end up with more deaths.
ReplyDeleteThe elimination of the presidential term limit in China will result in a future of dictators and oppressive government. As it is, the Chinese government wields massive power over their people, and allowing presidents to rule indefinitely will increase this already extensive power. Frequent recycling of presidency is essential to maintaining a just nation, otherwise leaders could potentially become dictators. This could put China on a dark path towards becoming North Korea-like. Other countries should be concerned with China's elimination of presidential terms because China is a highly influential force in the global economy, and the decisions made by the president will affect the entire world. If someone unethical or corrupt gets put in power, the whole world could face disaster. If the people of China are unhappy with their leadership, they can protest in the streets or simply refuse to obey certain laws.
ReplyDeleteYeah, this is a bit of a problem. It doesn't matter if there is overwhelming support for the man, it still is highly dangerous, and like literally every single person before me has mentioned, it can and most likely will lead to a dictatorship. This type of absolute power is extremely concerning, especially in a nation with as much influence and as much power as China, and to have it on the brink of such potential tyranny should be an issue every major country should be concerned with. The United States specifically should be concerned, as we have major economic ties with China, and our economy can be immensely impacted if our relations with them turn sour. Although, for what it's worth, President Xi seems like a somewhat reasonable man (I'm being sarcastic of course), and I'm sure that once he gets absolute power he won't abuse it in any way shape of form. It's not like he hasn't already heavily enforced the police to maintain his ideologies (http://time.com/4519160/china-xi-jinping-cecc-human-rights-rule-of-law/), or bases his political decisions off of people's loyalty to him (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-politics-police/china-says-police-and-judges-need-absolute-loyalty-to-party-idUSKBN15308C) or anything like that. Yes, I'm sure that when he has absolute power, he'll use it for betterment of China as a whole, and definently not to further him and his party. My sarcasm aside, this is really problematic, but unfortunately there isn't really much the Chinese citizens can do about it. China will always have a strong supportive base for the Communist Party and for President Xi, so to be completely honest I don't really have a strong answer. I wish I could say that other nations such as the United States need to show contempt, but that's quite risky considering China's influence. I wish I could provide something as to what the people of China, along with the rest of the world, can do about it, but I don't know. I guess for now we'll just have to wait and see what happens with it.
ReplyDeleteI do not think that the elimination of China's presidential term limit is a particularly good idea. Regardless of President Xi's political views and opinions, giving any one person almost complete power for an unlimited amount of time is extremely risky, because that person's opinion will likely shape whatever political decisions are made. If the people of China become unhappy with this leadership, it would likely be difficult to find a way to have a say in politics. Term limits are the more democratic option, because it gives people more of a say. With different leaders, there is more of a variety of opinions.
ReplyDeleteThe elimination of the presidential term limit is a dangerous thing to do for a country. This could mean that the future for China could turn into a dictatorship, or an oligarchy. Xi Jinping could possibly be changing China’s government into a dictatorship, and from prior learnings, we have examined that dictatorships aren’t very good for most countries. I don’t think other major countries should be worried like those in Europe and North and South America, but smaller countries close to China and especially those who are making claims in the South China Sea should be worried. I believe this, because China has been very aggressive in staking claims in the South China Sea, due to the oil reserves under it.
ReplyDeleteI don't support the removing of a term limit. Extending the term limit only increases Xi Jinping's power over his people. By doing this, he is becoming somewhat of a powerful dictator. If Xi proves to be a poor leader in the long run, he will be much harder to replace because the people will not be able to just wait until his term is up. This new change also imposes on the people's right to democracy because it does not allow them to vote on their leader. The government is starting to shift toward an autocratic one rather than democratic. Getting rid of the term limit could affect other countries because if the current leader of China does not get along with another country, or has poor international relationships, it could remain this way for a long time due to little change in the government.
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