China’s May 2018 constitutional amendment scrapped term limits and enabled President Xi Jinping to concentrate power. This situation has serious implications. Among others, Xi is now fully responsible for any setbacks and policy failures that may come. The President has been faced with a lot of challenges in domestic politics, foreign policy as well as with economic upheaval just few months after his constitutional amendment.
To many Chinese, these challenges provide the opportunity for Xi to prove his capabilities as the tough leader he is reputed to be. The President has of recent made fewer public appearances as compared to his frequent public appearances before the new “one man power system”.
The political class are particularly watching to see how President Xi will respond to the new challenges coming his way. With almost unlimited power now embedded in him, the political class expect to see Xi single-handedly solve the problems of the country that has entrusted him with so much power.
In China, “if you were to be emperor, you must have great achievement”, according to Joseph Cheng, a retired City University of Hong Kong professor and Chinese political expert. Solving the upcoming problems will show the Chinese people how resourceful Xi is. Power doesn’t come easy and to whom more is given, more is expected. But too much power means too much burden. The time is coming for Xi Jinping to prove himself to his citizens. The big question for them is: Will he be up to the task?
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