Kevin Rudd ‘On Xi Jinping’: The Diplomat

Xi Jinping has transformed China, and China’s transformation has in turn changed the world. Since Xi took charge in 2012, China has grown enormously in geopolitical power, with its global influence finally catching up to its eye-watering growth in the first decade of the 21st century. In pursuing what he terms the “China Dream,” Xi made marked departures from the policies and norms established by his predecessors. 

In his newly released book, “On Xi Jinping: How Xi’s Marxist Nationalism is Shaping China and the World,” Kevin Rudd, former Australian prime minister and current Australian ambassador to the United States, sets out to understand why Xi “has decided to turn much of Chinese politics, economics, and foreign policy on its head from the decades of Communist Party rule that preceded him.”

Rudd characterizes Xi’s ideological framework as “Marxist-Leninist nationalism” epitomized by a move to the left in economic and political thinking paired with a significant step to the right when it comes to Chinese nationalism. Ideology may not be the only force that has animated Xi’s decisions, but it plays a critical role in where Xi has taken China, and where he dreams China will go in the future.

In the following interview, Rudd details Xi’s ideological vision, what it tells us about China, and what it means for the world.

Continue reading at https://thediplomat.com/2024/10/kevin-rudd-on-xi-jinping/