For decades, Western democracies have pursued a policy of engagement with China underpinned by a belief that prosperity and openness would naturally lead to a more liberal political system in Beijing. By demonstrating the benefits of the western way of life, the advanced economies thought China would become more like them.
It is a belief that has now been shaken by President Xi Jinping, who had himself named the “core” of the ruling Communist Party at a plenary meeting of the Central Committee last week. This designation effectively returns China to strongman rule and ends a shortlived period of consensus leadership. While Mr Xi’s predecessors made little progress in introducing democracy during their tenure, their implicit, and sometimes even explicit, aim was to move in that direction.
In contrast, Mr Xi has forcefully and repeatedly rejected democracy and most other universal values and instead promised a “great rejuvenation” that hearkens back to a time when “all under heaven” was ruled by an infallible emperor.