Latest Articles about Elite
A Mass Line for the Digital Age
At an April 19 conference on “internet work,” Chinese President Xi Jinping instructed cadres to listen to “constructive criticism” from the public online, calling for changes to the way the Chinese government manages online public opinion and criticizing the practice of broadly censoring comments on... MORE
Seeking Loyalty Amongst the Four Key Groups – The Tactics of Xi’s Domestic Politics
Recent calls for loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party, and particularly its top leadership, have brought renewed attention to this important internal messaging phenomenon. However, insistence on loyalty is not a new phenomenon in the People’s Republic of China, and historical context and examination of... MORE
Will “Core of the Leadership” Xi Jinping Rule for 15 Years Or More?
In December 2015, Chinese President, Communist Party Secretary and Central Military Commission Chairman Xi Jinping took on the additional title of “Core of the Leadership” (“领导核心”). This is just one of several recent signs indicating that a Maoist-style personality cult is being built around the... MORE
Xi’s Obsession with “Cultural Renaissance” Raises Fears of Another Cultural Revolution
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the start of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution (GPCR) (1966–76), a political and cultural watershed for China. Chinese rock star and pop culture icon Cui Jian spoke for many when he said that the Cultural Revolution is still... MORE
From Academia to Politics: When Scholars Rule China
In late October, China’s State Council announced the appointment of Professor Chen Yulu, President of Fudan University as the Vice-Governor of the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) (Xinhua News, October 30). Including Prof. Chen, five university presidents have been appointed to senior political positions of... MORE
Farhat Hashmi: Mentor to Pakistan’s Future Jihadist Mothers
Very few female Islamist preachers are as successful, popular and networked as Farhat Hashmi in Pakistan. Hashmi preaches an ideology not dissimilar from that of other contemporary Islamist preachers and ideologues in Pakistan; the vital difference is her approach and target audience. Hashmi’s audience is... MORE
Xi Jinping Consolidates Power While Presiding Over Tilt Toward Ultra-Conservative Ideals
Even as President Xi Jinping underscored China’s commitment to reform and globalization during his high-profile trips to the United States and Britain over the past two months, the Fifth Generation leader has masterminded a pronounced shift to conservative ideals that are reminiscent of the Mao... MORE
Xi Jinping Burnishes Foreign Policy Credentials Despite Lack of Achievement At U.S. Summit
Despite a lack of concrete achievements in his summit with his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama, Chinese President Xi Jinping has accomplished a more important goal for his domestic audience—burnishing his image as a statesman. At a time when ordinary Chinese are bracing for a possible... MORE
Xi Jinping’s Visit to the United States to Highlight Internet Rules, Economic Cooperation, Differences
Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to visit the United States next week, the seventh time since he first visited the country as Secretary of Zhengding County in Hebei in 1985 (People’s Daily Online, September 16). According to Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Spokesperson... MORE
President Xi Suspects Political Conspiracy Behind Tianjin Blasts
Almost immediately after the devastating explosions near Tianjin Port at 11 pm, August 12, President Xi Jinping convened his closest aides to check whether there was any political motivation behind one of the most atrocious accidents in China in recent memory. At the beginning of... MORE