Xi Rewrites the Past to Secure His Future

“China’s Communist Party delivered Xi Jinping a breakthrough on Thursday that will help secure his political future — by rewriting history,” the New York Times reports.

“Senior party officials in a closed-door meeting in Beijing approved a decision reassessing the party’s 100-year history and enshrining Mr. Xi in the party’s official firmament of era-defining leaders. The move, signaled in an official summary of the meeting, elevated Mr. Xi to a stature alongside Mao Zedong, the founder of the country’s Communist rule, and Deng Xiaoping, the chief architect of its economic takeoff.”

“The decision to place Mr. Xi among the country’s historical giants will bolster his argument that he is the only leader capable of steering China toward superpower status through uncertain times.”

Bloomberg says it gives Xi a mandate “to potentially rule for life.”