Xi Jinping and the 'Chinese Dream'

Xi Jinping, who had assumed the post of the Communist Party of China’s (CPC) general secretary and chairperson of the Central Military Commission at the conclusion of the 18th Party Congress in November 2012, was elected as the president of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) by the National People’s Congress (NPC) in March 2013. During the early months of his leadership he acquired the reputation of being a practical person who also had the makings of a visionary front runner. From the very start he put emphasis on paying attention to people’s concrete day-to-day problems such as jobs, housing, education and healthcare, as also giving a call for cutting down waste of food and doing away with the ostentatious lifestyles of leaders and cadres and making clean governance and anti-corruption a top priority. At the same time, his slogan of fulfilling the “Chinese Dream” by “rejuvenating the Chinese nation” had become the hallmark of his leadership style.

In this essay we will put the discourse on the “Chinese Dream” in the context of Xi Jinping’s initiatives since he came to power, locating it within the setting of various political, economic and international issues, and then try to deconstruct the formulation. We will also assess its political and ideological implications.