‘Xi Jinping is a tough guy’ China’s leader clinging to power by creating common enemy | World | News

Political expert and author Gordon Chang reflected on China‘s aggressive international behaviour. During an interview with Express.co.uk, Mr Chang insisted China’s President Xi Jinping wants to be seen as a tough guy on the international stage. He added, Xi also may want to paint Taiwan as a common enemy to China to show his strength.

Mr Chang said: “We don’t know why China is acting more aggressively towards Taiwan these days.

“Similarly we don’t know why China is more aggressive in general.”

Mr Chang then raised some points he felt could better explain why China was behaving in this manner.

He said: “One of the explanations is that Xi Jinping is a tough guy and this is what he does.

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“Others believe that he is trying to hold on to power.

“The 20th Communist Party National Congress is next year, at least it is scheduled to be.

“He wants an unprecedented third term as general secretary of the communist party.

“The best way to do that is to have a common enemy, Xi Jinping is doing a great job in creating this enemy.”

“We don’t really know but what we can see is that China’s external behaviour is becoming so much more provocative.”

Mr Chang also warned that if China continues to escalate international relations it could spark a global or mass conflict. 

He reiterated that Beijing has its back against the wall on the international stage and will in turn lash out to show it is strong.