By Tahir imin Uyghurian
In a recent statement, U.S. President Biden rightly referred to China’s communist leader, Xi Jinping, as a dictator. Unfazed by the potential ramifications on Xi’s reputation, Biden remarked, “The reason why Xi Jinping got very upset in terms of when I shot that balloon down with two box cars full of spy equipment in it was he didn’t know it was there, That’s a great embarrassment for dictators. When they didn’t know what happened. That wasn’t supposed to be going where it was. It was blown off course,”.
No Western leader has joined Biden in calling Xi a dictator. German Chancellor Scholz dodged the question, while the New Zealand PM stated that Xi Jinping is not a ‘dictator’.
Surprisingly, none of China’s state media or social media platforms mentioned Biden’s characterization of Xi as a dictator. This omission clearly indicates an attempt to conceal the fact from the Chinese public that the true nature of Xi’s power has been exposed by world leaders. It also aims to hide the fact that the American president does not show respect towards Xi Jinping, contrary to what the state media has been propagating.
However, it is important to recognize that Biden’s assertion was justified. Xi Jinping does indeed exhibit the qualities of a dictator. He ascended to power without being elected by the Chinese people, and democratic elections are nonexistent in China. Moreover, the ruling communist party in China, along with Xi himself, prohibits any political opposition or alternative party, thereby consolidating power and suppressing dissent. By removing term limits and securing a lifelong chairmanship, Xi Jinping has further solidified his grip on power, employing an anti-corruption guise to purge potential rivals.
As the elected leader of a democratic nation founded on principles of human dignity, freedom, and the rule of law, Biden has a responsibility to champion these principles worldwide. By openly denouncing dictators such as Xi Jinping, Biden demonstrates strength and leverage against dictatorial regimes globally. Such actions can garner respect and pave the way for advocating a democratic world.
Moreover, it is not just Biden who referred to Xi Jinping as a dictator; the Cato Institute also labeled Xi as a dictator.
Is China under the CCP a dictatorship?
The leadership of the CCP is a textbook dictatorship that exhibits all the elements of an dictatorial regime and lacks democratic elements.
As it was generally accepted by political sceintists, It is imperative to clarify that democracy encompasses four fundamental elements:
- Democracy as a political system involving competition for power.
- The active participation of citizens in politics and civic life.
- Protection of the human rights of all individuals.
- A rule of law that ensures equal application of laws and procedures to all citizens.
These fundamental four elements are not guaranteed and enforced by the state and government agencies in China under the CCP, thereby creating a breeding ground for criminal political forces and a hotbed for dictatorship and autocracy.
The actuality remains that within the past seven decades, China has not witnessed any political party other than the CCP governing the nation, nor has it experienced leadership from an alternative political party. The global community has observed China under the authoritarian policies of the CCP, resulting in a devastating famine that claimed the lives of nearly 40 million individuals. The events surrounding Tiananmen Square and the Uyghur genocide further exemplify the absence of rule of law, press freedom, freedom of movement, and assembly within China, establishing a state of total dictatorship.
Referring to dictators as dictators is correct and a fundamental practice, akin to teaching children to speak the truth. Identifying a problem serves as the initial step towards resolving it.
Designating the nature of Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) as a dictatorship is the crucial first step in recognizing and addressing the threats and problems that posed by CCP . These problems encompass the expansion of autocracy on a global scale, corruption, climate inaction, genocide and organ harvesting, forced labor, the threat of military force against Taiwan, and extensive espionage operations conducted abroad.
Furthermore, China defines itself as a dictatorship in its official document: “China is a socialist country under the people’s democratic dictatorship led by the working class and based on the alliance of workers and peasants. The people’s democratic dictatorship embodies the fundamental nature of China’s state.”
Tahir Imin Uyghurian, is a Washington-Based Uyghur academic and Rights advocate, former political prisoner in China (2005-2007), and the founder of Uyghur Times.
