Xi Jinping has led the most powerful political party in the world for ten years, The Chinese Communist Party, and at 69 has been given another five year term in office. With the close of the CCP Congress it was obvious Xi had consolidated his position of power within China, and will dominate decision making internally and externally, with Xi loyalists appointed to all key positions.

The question is, how does Xi Jinping stack up against other world leaders, Biden, Trump and Johnson should they make a return, even our man Albanese, alone with the lesser leaders of the West. How does he compare to Putin in Russia , and so on. Will our Western leaders be able to match it with Xi? As a strong political leader Xi may run rings around our mediocre bunch of halfwits.

Dear Paul,

By what criteria does Xi make our leaders look like a bunch of halfwits? I appreciate living in a country where there are free elections, and where the leader of the country when defeated in an election will concede and graciously wish the new leader well.

Hi David,

I believe China has the Worlds best system of Government....for China, AND, Australia has the Worlds best system of Government.... for Australia, we are both lucky, few countries can claim that. We kid ourselves into believing we can change the hamster on the wheel, and he is free to go in the opposite direction. Not so, we can change the hamster alright, but the poor creature must always go in the appointed direction. Any attempt to change direction will see that hamster quickly replaced.

A little anecdote; When I was at public high school in my senior years, the positions of School Captains, boy and girl, and those of the Prefects was determined extremely democratically, we had a very progressive Head Master (As the always male head was called), All students and teachers were given a vote, a complex weighted system according to your class, 1st years one vote, seniors and teachers six votes, very complex. When all the votes were tallied, and the "winners" determined, all was so democratic and also such a secret ballot, couldn't ask for more, but then the Head Master had the power of veto, which he exercised often I believe including in my senior year, excluding a couple of undesirables from the ranks. When I was at Catholic School, no such democracy existed the Head Master (Brother) simply appointed his choices as School Captain, etc, how undemocratic can you get!

Australia is like the public school when it comes to democracy, China is like the catholic school.

By what criteria does Xi make our leaders look like a bunch of halfwits? Personal observation, some, not all are halfwits, in fact some are totally useless, while some are to varying degrees reasonable. Could any do the job of Xi Jinping, most likely not, different horses at different courses.

Dear Paul,

Five more years of Xi Jinping?

When we try to interpret China by our rules -
we'll probably get it wrong. Who can really
tell what Xi Jinping is really like? Does he
have a real face? He's been described as a
successful Chinese leader who follows Chines
political tradition that's been circulating
for thousands of years. I'm not sure what that
even means.

My concern is - will China want a return to the
glory of the past - as Putin is planning for Russia?
Where does Taiwan fit into all this? Does Xi Jinping
have absolute power? Or does real power lie elsewhere?

Will the CCP be capable of being modernised? So many
questions - so few answers. Thanks for raising this
topic for discussion - but I have to confess - all most
of us can do - is watch and learn, and hope for the best.

Xi wasn't "given another five year term in office"...he took it having eliminated by all means fair and foul anyone who could oppose him now or in the future.

He is a dictator for life. The only question is how long that life will be. As a dictator there are no limits on his power which is why he is able to engage in the current genocide against disfavoured minorities in his empire.

Given his elevated position, disconnected from the lives of his subjects, he is currently residing over the slow but accelerating decline in modern China.

China is now entering a period of declining population and in particular, declining workforce. As many have been saying for two decades now, China will get old before it gets rich. The demographics behind China's rise are now working against it. Its not Xi's fault but he hasn't been able to alter the trajectory either.

Xi's idiotic zero-Covid policy is playing havoc with the nation's economy but he can't back out of it now without losing face.

Economically, China is now in serious trouble. Trump launched the trade war with the US's main foe and, to its credit and many people's surprise, the current regime have maintained the pressure. The most recent moves by the US to restrict China's access to western chip technology will have major negative effects on the Chinese economy while the growing stampede of departures by western companies is the result of Xi's policies and inability to react to the US pressure.

The only outstanding question now is how China will handle decline - internal revolt, internal suppression or external adventurism. The world is preparing for the latter.

Of course, many an old Marxist have never seen a leftist dictator they don't swoon over and Paul is no exception

Yet many others swoon over fraudsters like Donald Trump.
Go figure. Absolute power and all that.