Xi Jinping’s Visit to Zhejiang Province Before Hangzhou Asian Games Raises Concerns
September 23, 2023 – Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Zhejiang Province two days before the opening ceremony of the Hangzhou Asian Games. During his visit, he inspected the Yiwu International Trade City and the Fengqiao Experience Exhibition Hall in Shaoxing. These activities have sparked speculation about Xi Jinping’s anxiety regarding China’s economic decline and social stability issues.
Analysts, such as Li Yuanhua, a scholar in Australia, argue that Xi Jinping’s visit to these locations highlights his concerns about China’s economic recession and dwindling social stability. The Chinese Communist Party’s official media has reported that President Xi will attend the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou on September 23 and hold a welcome banquet and bilateral activities for foreign leaders attending the event.
On the 20th, Xi Jinping visited Yiwu City, often known as the “World City of Small Commodities,” and the Fengqiao Experience Exhibition Hall in Fengqiao Town, Zhuji, Shaoxing. The president’s inspection activities and subsequent media reports have drawn significant attention from the international community.
Chinese-Canadian writer Sheng Xue commented on Xi’s mysterious whereabouts, stating that it reveals his fear. Sheng believes that there is dissatisfaction within the Chinese Communist Party, even among high-level military officials, and there are rumors of coup or military coup plots. While concrete evidence is lacking, it indicates a potentially alarming situation, which Xi Jinping himself is well aware of, as evidenced by his strong precautions.
Sheng Xue also linked Xi Jinping’s visit to Yiwu’s small commodities market to China’s economic recession and the exodus of foreign companies and capital from the Chinese market. After the CCP’s crackdown on private companies, they became increasingly wary and began leaving the country. Yiwu, known for producing low-end small handicrafts, attracted Xi’s attention as he hoped to reignite the enthusiasm of private enterprises. This suggests that the CCP is deeply disappointed with the state of China’s economy.
Li Yuanhua, an Australian scholar, analyzed Xi Jinping’s visit and identified his concerns. He believes that Xi visited Yiwu to revitalize private enterprises and inject hope into a declining economy. Li emphasizes that Xi’s worry is not the well-being of ordinary people but rather the decline of the entire CCP economy. Without a strong economy, Xi’s ambitions, such as dominating the world or forcefully unifying Taiwan, cannot be realized. He would require a substantial amount of money to achieve these goals.
During Xi Jinping’s tenure as Acting Governor and Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee of Zhejiang Province, he actively promoted the “Maple Bridge Experience” in 2003. This experience refers to the use of mental torture and public opinion to suppress individuals under the CCP’s class struggle ideology. As Xi mentioned the Maple Bridge Experience during his visit, it suggests his concern about social stability and incidents of resistance against violence. The Maple Bridge Experience serves as a CCP stability maintenance system, employing misleading information to subdue those showing resistance or consciousness against the regime.
Sheng Xue views the mention of the Fengqiao experience as a worrying signal. This experience involved mobilizing the masses to carry out dictatorship against class enemies, exemplifying the soft violence of the Chinese Communist Party’s state terrorism. Sheng argues that this form of terrorism is more sinister as it aims to fundamentally change individuals, including their ideology, soul, and perception of the world. The CCP’s soft violence has contributed to the indifference towards right and wrong among Chinese citizens and their lack of courage to resist. The Fengqiao experience incites masses to fight against fellow citizens, implementing state terrorism against the people. By utilizing this method, the CCP saves on governance costs.
The Hangzhou Municipal Government has announced that the Asian Games have expended approximately 200 billion yuan on transportation infrastructure, competition venues, accommodation, and other facilities since 2020. Li Yuanhua suggests that the CCP has always sought to use major international sports events to showcase its strength, particularly during times of weakness.
Xi Jinping’s visit to Zhejiang Province has raised concerns about China’s economic decline and social stability. With the Asian Games underway, all eyes are on Xi as he navigates these challenges.