President Xi Jinping’s state visit to the United States was originally expected to be a global event that would signal China’s role as the only other superpower in the world. Even the flaunting of China’s military might during a parade was part of a grand design as a prelude to the US visit.
Unfortunately for Xi Jinping, two major events have contributed to lessen the global impact of his state visit and his address to the United Nations General Assembly. The first event is the economic slowdown in China’s economy and the sharp decline in its stock market. The world had gotten used to an annual double digit GDP growth rate. This year, the government is claiming a 7% growth rate, well below expectations. However, most economists believe the real figure is a GDP growth of between 4% to 5%. The Chinese stock market had, overnight, turned from the world’s best performing to a bear market which means a decline of more than 20% in market value.
The second event was that Xi Jinping’s arrival in the United States and the United Nations coincided with the visit of Pope Francis. The American media and even the international press were literally covering the Pope’s visit hour by hour. All his speeches were either carried live or were extensively reported and analyzed.
The state visit and the press conferences and statements by Xi Jinping were practically ignored by the media and the public. Xi Jinping’s message that China would begin to cooperate with the United States on the issues of climate change became news only as an adjunct to the Pope’s messages on the environment and poverty alleviation.
There was a distinct contrast on lifestyles between Xi Jinping, the head of a Communist nation founded on the concept of social equality, and Pope Francis, the Pope of the Holy See and the religious leader of the Catholic Church.
The Chinese delegation rode in limousines while the Pope rode in a simple four passenger Fiat. The Chinese delegation were hosted in a state dinner and in New York City stayed at the luxurious Chinese owned Waldorf Hotel. One reason stated was that the Chinese delegation wanted privacy.
Pope Francis declined to dine with the members of the US Congress and chose to join a group of homeless people. In New York City he stayed in the residence donated to the Holy See. Instead of privacy, Pope Francis went to greet the crowds riding in his Pope mobile and visiting with school children and ordinary citizens.
It was apparent that Xi Jinping did not give up on his agenda to reinforce the message that China must now be accepted as an equal by the United States. Three weeks before the US visit, there was a massive military parade Beijing meant to display its military might. During the parade, Xi was observed to be wearing a Mao style jacket which reminds the world of the days of Mao Tse Tung when China was considered a military superpower.
On his first day in the USA, the Chinese President announced the purchase of 300 Boeing planes worth more than $38 billion. Then he met with American technology CEOs including Bill Gates to discuss the easing of restrictive business practices in China.
Aside from conveying the message that China was now a global military power, Xi wants to convey a message of reassurance that China was still an economic superpower. However, the weakness in its economy apparently has driven China to seek more foreign investments.
Pope Francis, in his address to the United Nations warned against the abuses of those who are “greedy for wealth and power.” He talked about the potential evils of “economy and finance” and advocated that business should lead to creating more jobs especially for the young and the poor. This message has become so relevant today because technology is now principally used as the means to increase profitability and to reduce the need for manpower. Technology companies have become well known for shedding workers and for locating manufacturing facilities in countries with the cheapest labor costs even if child labor and unsafe working conditions are prevalent in that country.
In his speech on the lawn of the White House, Xi Jinping’s message was quickly apparent. First, he explicitly said that he brought greetings from the “1.3 billion” people in China reminding the world of the immensity of China’s resources. Then several times, he mentioned that the United States and China must look for “win-win” solutions thus placing the two countries on equal footing. Then he said that the two countries must respect each other’s “ regional interests” which has been interpreted as a warning that the United States should not interfere in China’s territorial aggression in the West Philippine Sea and the rest of Southeast Asia.
Michael Auslin, an Asian geopolitical scholar, has theorized that China showcases its military might abroad in order to intimidate its closest neighbors in Asia. He cites the fact that China sent naval vessels off the coast of Alaska as a reminder that China’s reach is increasingly global, on sea or air. Auslin also quotes a high profile Chinese visitor to the USA who told him: “After all, Great Britain did not become a European power until it already had become a global power.” It seems that Xi believes that a China that can be a global threat is one that will be extremely difficult to defeat locally. Perhaps, even an alliance composed of Japan, Taiwan, Philippines and Vietnam will find it a hazardous task to confront even the illegal territorial aggressions of a China with its global military might.
In his address to the United Nations, Pope Francis condemned wars and the use of violence. He urged world leaders to seek solutions to address environmental destruction and world poverty. He spoke strongly about the need to defend the rights of women and children and that girls should not be excluded from the right to education. He spoke of the need of leaders to dialog and to stop talking and start taking concrete actions.
While Pope Francis emphasized the rights of every human being, especially the poor and the vulnerable, Xi continued to assert that the concept of human rights is different in China.
Xi Jinping, the ruler of a nation with 1.3 billion people, wants to send a message to the world that the China Dream is his immediate goal.
Pope Francis is the head of state of the Vatican with a population of 83 persons. He is the spiritual head of the worldwide Catholic Community who believe that he is the successor to St. Peter. But his messages are addressed to all of humanity.
In his messages, Pope Francis talks about Justice in the World; the Dignity of the Human Person; the dangers of Wealth Inequality; the Principle of Solidarity; and, the Priority of Labor over Capital. These are not new messages. They are part of the “best kept secret in the Catholic Church” – Catholic Social Teachings. Pope Francis has made these Teachings relevant to the modern world.
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