By Yang Hengjun
Putin is similar to Xi Jinping, in both policies and temperament. What does Putin’s Russia tell us about Xi’s China?
Recently an American friend saw my article on Gorbachev and asked me who I think Xi Jinping is more like, Gorbachev or Yeltsin? My answer? Neither. Xi is more like Putin.
Xi Jinping chose Russia as the destination of his first visit abroad after assuming office as the president of China. Over the past year, Xi has met with Putin many times, more than he has met with any other world leader. This has been interpreted as China prioritizing “good neighbor” diplomatic relations, or as China and Russia trying to join together to confront the U.S. However, most political and media analysts overlooked an anecdote from last March, when Xi paid a visit to Russia. Russian media reported a conversation in which Xi told Putin,“I feel that our personalities are quite similar.” Official Chinese media also picked up this piece of news, which we can take as an indication that Xi actually did say this.
This remark seems a bit abrupt. It doesn’t really fit with Chinese leaders’ customary diplomacy. Talking about someone’s “personality” is generally a private topic, both in the East and the West. Such a remark is not like the easy diplomatic clichés: “our countries are separated only by a narrow strip of water,” or “we share the same historical traditions and cultural background”. Even among Western officials, who tend to have more casual exchanges, we rarely hear leaders bring up their own personalities. Even though Xi has been unconventional in his speeches since assuming office, his remarks about sharing a similar personality with Putin was remarkable enough to catch my attention.
To become the top leader of a country usually requires a unique personality, and Putin might be one of the most unique leaders out there. His personality has puzzled and perplexed most westerners, but Xi obviously admires Putin. Why else would he say that the two men have similar personalities?
Read the full story at The Diplomat