Xi Jinping's Governance and the Future of China Read online

  Copyright © 2017 by Zhou Xinmin

  Foreword copyright © 2017 by Latha Ramchand

  All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews or articles. All inquiries should be addressed to Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018.

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  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

  Print ISBN: 978-1-5107-3622-1

  eBook ISBN: 978-1-5107-3628-3

  Cover design by Brian Peterson

  Printed in the United States of America

  CONTENTS

  Publisher’s Disclaimer

  Author’s Bio

  Foreword

  Preface

  Introduction

  Chapter One:

  Achievements of Xi Jinping’s Practice of Governance

  Chapter Two:

  Interpreting Xi Jinping’s Governance Philosophies

  Chapter Three:

  Practice of Xi Jinping’s Governance Philosophies

  Chapter Four:

  The Governance of Great Leaders

  Chapter Five:

  Core Capabilities of Xi Jinping’s Governance

  Chapter Six:

  Development of Xi Jinping’s Governance Capabilities

  Chapter Seven:

  Setting Standards for Leading Capabilities

  Postscript

  PUBLISHER’S DISCLAIMER

  This book by Zhou Xinmin comes to us translated into English from Chinese. In editing the manuscript, Skyhorse has done its best to remain faithful to the translation in order to avoid changing the meaning or intent of the book.

  AUTHOR’S BIO

  Zhou Xinmin, who created the theory of leaders’ core ca pabilities in China, is also a well-known expert in the research of Chinese leadership. He is the author of Core Capabilities-Understanding These Three Years of Governing, Leaders’ Core Capabilities, Leaders’ Core Capabilities of State-owned Enterprises (Chinese and English Edition), Evaluation and Practice of Leaders’ Core Capabilities of State-owned Enterprises, Core Capabilities-107 Questions about How to Shape Leadership, and Achieving China Dream with the Core Capabilities-A Collection of Interview Records.

  FOREWORD

  Great leaders build lasting organizations. Leadership of a nation, especially that of a vast country like China, calls for strategic and tactical skills at every level of the organization. As organizations grow, so do the challenges in communicating the leader’s philosophy and converting it into organizational capabilities. Hence, intentional efforts to permeate the leadership culture across all members is critical to success. Zhou Xinmin’s latest book, Xi Jinping’s Governance and the Future of China, is set against this background. The book unpacks the core tenets of President Xi’s governance philosophy and uses them to provide a road map to Communist Party of China leaders who must convert the belief systems into action. All CPC leaders will benefit from Xinmin’s insight into President Xi’s leadership. The book also serves as a useful guide to global leaders who can benefit from understanding the perspective that President Xi brings to international conversations. Xinmin’s work combines theoretical with practical aspects of leadership and is a must read for anyone doing business in and with China. As Dean of the C.T. Bauer College of Business, I am doubly proud of the contribution of Zhou Xinmin who is an alum of the institution.

  Latha Ramchand

  Dean and Professor, Finance

  C.T. Bauer College of Business

  University of Houston

  PREFACE

  Over the past few years, growing attention has been paid to the changes that are quietly reshaping China and to the governance philosophies of Xi Jinping, its new steersman. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012, the new generation of China’s leadership headed by Xi has been pressing the Chinese Dream forward with an unparalleled level of resolve and political wisdom. A new era is on the horizon to witness the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. For its many achievements, the Chinese leadership enjoys the love and support of the Chinese people, and has won wide acclaim around the globe.

  In a few years’ time, President Xi has developed his philosophical thinking on the governance of China into a system to address the pressing issues of China, to develop and improve Chinese socialism, and to achieve modernization in all areas. His ideas also contain the guiding principles for building a new world order and influencing the future of human society.

  Studying, understanding, and implementing these philosophies on governance is a pressing political task of the CPC and the nation. Only by fully understanding these philosophies can we apply them in our work. This will not be an easy task for it requires the whole Party to put in extra effort.

  Zhou Xinmin’s new book, Xi Jinping’s Governance and the Future of China, explains the characteristics and patterns of President Xi’s governance philosophy from the perspective of core capabilities required of the Chinese leadership. This book can also serve as a reference to help CPC members and officials absorb and internalize key concepts.

  In recent years, as the education campaign rolls out to study President Xi’s speeches and thoughts, interpretations in various forms have been made available in the market. Compared to previous works, this book has something new to offer. It has moved away from literal interpretation in a general sense, and employs a new perspective to focus on core capabilities—the supporting element behind governance philosophies—to conduct an in-depth analysis that is accessible and comprehensive.

  There is no doubt that with more practice, the philosophical system will continue to develop and improve while enriching its contents. The essential capabilities of leadership, the decisive and fundamental pillars of the system, will not change with the times. This book explains the achievements, strategies, and development of the president’s governance practice, and showcases the vision and capacities of the new generation of CPC leadership. This will undoubtedly help readers and Chinese officials at all levels in understanding President Xi’s thoughts.

  Theories are meant to guide practice, therefore we must understand these theories before implementing them in the key strategies and policies of the CPC and the state, and use them to guide our action. With this book in hand, CPC members and officials will find it easier to understand the principles and key concepts, and use it as a guidebook to measure their performance against the president’s standards. Officials must study and practice these rules, continue to enhance their capacities, and perform their duties in a way that follows the example of the leadership in national governance.

  Divided into seven chapters, this book builds upon the main theme of capabilities and employs a step-by-step approach in detailing its meaning with clear logic and rigorous deduction. Chapter 1, Achievements of Xi Jinping’s Practice of Governance, offers a comprehensive account of the CPC leadership’s governance philosophies, measures, and accomplishments. Chapter 2, Interpreting Xi Jinping’s Governance Philosophies, makes an in-depth analysis of the guiding thoughts. Chapter 3, Practice of Xi Jinping’s Governance Philosophies, discusses the policies and methods employed. Chapter
4, The Governance of Great Leaders, summarizes the common traits of outstanding leaders. Chapter 5, Core Capabilities of Xi Jinping’s Governance, analyzes President Xi’s competence as China’s leader. Chapter 6, Development of Xi Jinping’s Governance Capabilities, traces back to the origin of Xi’s capabilities and follows his developmental path. Chapter 7, Setting Standards for Leading Capabilities, explores the values extended from the capabilities of national governance. It is my hope that, by discussing these theories, the book will play a central role in influencing and molding generations of CPC members and officials who are committed to CPC’s mission, Chinese socialism, and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. It is also my hope that it will help the modernization of China’s governance system and capabilities, and shed some light on achieving the Chinese Dream.

  Karl Marx once said, “Every beginning is difficult.” The research on President Xi’s governance philosophies is in its initial stage, with very few studies on the supporting capabilities behind the system. As a pioneer in this area, the author explains his original ideas in this work, some of which are yet to be tested through practice. I genuinely hope that the book will become the centerpiece in the education campaign on governance for CPC members and officials, and that it will enhance the implementation of President Xi’s thinking on governance in China.

  Fu Chengyu

  February 22, 2016

  INTRODUCTION

  Capabilities of Leadership—Call of the Times

  Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 2012, the CPC central leadership led by Xi Jinping has been pressing reform forward in all areas by introducing new policies in governing the nation, the CPC, and the military. It has managed domestic development and Chinese foreign relations with a global vision, driven reform to a deeper level, and launched a new voyage of the People's Republic of China (PRC) towards prosperity. A new era has begun for both CPC’s mission and for the renewal of China.

  Over the past few years, we have witnessed remarkable progress in China’s governance. The achievements and progress in governance have never been so evident. These achievements have given the Chinese people new hope, new aspirations, and new dreams. The expectation is that over the next few years, and the years that follow, China will make even greater progress in its reform and development and that the CPC will continue to consolidate its foundation of governance, explore new heights of governance, continue to make the Chinese proud, and leave the world in wonder.

  In China, the drastic changes and achievements since the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012 are closely related to the collective leadership of the CPC, especially of President Xi. With his political vision, pioneering spirit, governance wisdom, leadership skills, and personal qualities, he has quickly won the support of the Party and the people since he took charge of the CPC, the state, and the military. He is known for his philosophies on governance, his resolve and determination, and his charisma in effectively governing China and promoting overall development. Under his strong leadership, the CPC and the country have undergone profound changes. For his central role, President Xi has won the support and love of over a billion Chinese people.

  President Xi’s influence goes beyond China’s borders. He has been listed six times in TIME 100, an annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. He has been hailed as “the most transformational Chinese leader since Deng Xiaoping,” “theleader of a rising China,” and “China’s first truly global leader.” Some international organizations and well-known media outlets have also praised Xi’s governance practice, with great expectations for China’s future. It is commonly believed that Xi Jinping will “bring China long-term prosperity and stability through revitalizing China’s economy and improving people’s well-being;” that he will “continue to improve the governance of the CPC and the country, solve China’s problems at deeper levels, establish a new mode of sustainable development, and eventually boost China’s international competitiveness.” He will “build a new type of international relations focusing on cooperation and reciprocity, play the part of a leader of a responsible country, and build a brand new international image for China.” We have reason to believe that with the development of his governance philosophy and practice, and with new achievements and growing influence, Xi will become an outstanding leader who will influence the future of China and the world.

  Currently, many institutes and organizations around the globe are studying Xi’s governance style and philosophies in order to probe into China’s future direction, potential, and developmental trends. This reflects the global attention on China’s development and is also inspired by Xi’s charisma as a state leader. It is of strategic and realistic significance to dig into the essence of Xi’s governance wisdom, to summarize and apply his philosophies in our work, and to understand the nature of his thinking through logical reasoning. First, it will be conducive to introducing the political beliefs and pursuits of the CPC, and the theoretical basis and institutional advantages of China’s path of socialism, to show the world why the CPC can succeed in terms of political leadership. Second, it will be conducive to showcasing the vision, ambition, and charisma of the leadership of the CPC, with Xi Jinping as the leader, to explain why he is competent as China’s leader—to the people of China, and to the world. Third, it will be conducive to setting the standards for essential capacities, so that officials in China can fully understand and implement the decisions of the CPC Central Committee on state, Party and military governance, that they can help improve the CPC’s governance ability, modernize the governance system and capacity, realize the Chinese Dream with newly mustered strength, and that they can continue to succeed alongside Xi. Also, as a leading figure connecting all of China, Xi and his theories will undoubtedly become a key component of the theoretical foundation of Chinese socialism, and a key accomplishment of applying Marxism in China. With further summation at the theoretical level, the theories will play a major role in innovating the existing theoretical system.

  Leadership capabilities are a new and pioneering theory of contemporary leadership. The theory contends that the essential capabilities of leaders play a central role in the development of an organization or a nation. They are the backbone of the ability to lead, the fundamental, directional, and crucial link of the entire system of leadership capabilities, and the basis for any leader to perform his function as a steersman of his country’s development. The system of leadership capabilities is composed of two levels: the leading capabilities for top leaders and for middle- and high-level leaders. The leading capacity, at the top level, is the basis of the system, which is supported by the capabilities at the middle-level. They are closely connected to each other and support each other. In China, the leaders at all levels are required to have the “hard” capacities and “soft” capacities, which have gone beyond the traditional sense of “leading ability.” Under the new criteria, officials must have the required level of political conviction, leadership skills, innovative spirit, and ethics and morality. Covering all categories and easy to understand, the new criteria are highly concise with emphasis on specific areas, and are quantifiable and assessable as a theoretical tool based on previous experiences and current conditions. By applying the theory of leadership capabilities, we will be able to identify and train outstanding officials, develop a system to govern officials and share it with the rest of the world. Based on the capabilities theory, this book carries an in-depth study of President Xi’s speeches, strategies, and measures on governance, in an effort to summarize the capabilities of Xi, and to share his vision, charisma, wisdom, and original philosophies with readers around the world. By building a system of capabilities at the central leadership, the CPC will be able to set the standards of outstanding leadership for officials at all levels. With the right direction, officials can improve themselves in terms of capacities. In this way a solid organizational foundation will be established for achieving the Chinese Dream.

  CH
APTER ONE

  Achievements of Xi Jinping’s Practice of Governance

  Key Points

  From 2012 to 2016, Xi has made major achievements in six areas:

  • Completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects

  • Transforming and upgrading the growth model

  • Driving reform to a deeper level

  • Combating corruption, implementing the rule of law, and creating a new political ecology

  • Thoroughly implementing Party discipline

  • Increasing the use of diplomacy to create a new world order

  It was after China entered the new stage of reform and development that Xi Jinping took over to lead the CPC with other members of the leadership. His appearance as the leader of the new central leadership attracted widespread attention domestically and globally due to the people’s new aspirations, the new stage of reform and development, and the new changes in international politics and the economy. The world wanted to know what kind of vision and wisdom Xi would exhibit to steer China, the ancient ship that has set sail in new waters, and what kind of strategy and governance skills he would exhibit to lead the Chinese people towards revitalization and prosperity.

  It was amazing how quickly Xi took on his role as the steersman, and led the new leadership to begin a new voyage with courage and resolve. Carrying forward the revolutionary spirit of Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping and other leaders from earlier generations, Xi has exhibited the capacity and vision to govern China in the new age. His call for expanding the reform and progress in governance has ushered in a new era, leading the CPC and China in its aim to build a more prosperous society, to carry reform to deeper levels, to implement the rule of law, and to strengthen CPC discipline. Since 2012, he has fully demonstrated his ability to do these things.