Worries of a Soviet-style collapse keep Xi Jinping up at night
China’s Communists have now been in power longer than the Soviets
IN LATE SEPTEMBER workers erected a new structure in Tiananmen Square. It is 18 metres tall, resembling a basket of fruit and flowers. Similar floral-themed displays have sprung up across Beijing in celebration of the 75th anniversary on October 1st of the founding of Communist China. This one bulges with giant peaches and gourds—symbols of long life. But China’s leader, Xi Jinping, worries about how long-lived his party’s rule will be.
Explore more
This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “A fear of falling”
From the October 5th 2024 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionDiscover more
Trump, trade and feeding China’s pigs
As a trade war looms, China looks to cut its reliance on America
Helping America’s hawks get inside the head of Xi Jinping
China’s leader is a risk-taker. How far will he go in confronting America?
Snuffing out the flame of freedom in Hong Kong
Dozens of pro-democracy activists are thrown into jail for up to a decade
China’s greatest dumpling run
A big gathering of young cyclists is ended by officials
A spate of horrific car-rammings shakes China
They are known as “revenge on society” attacks
Mega-polluter China believes it is a climate saviour
It accounts for almost 40% of global investment in clean energy
