Xi Jinping's Quest for National Pride: The Influence of Commissioner Lin Zexu

Strategic Insights -

Xi Jinping, the leader of China's push to overtake the United States, finds inspiration in the legacy of Commissioner Lin Zexu, a 19th-century imperial commissioner who defied Britain in the Opium War. Lin's poem, which Xi kept on his desk, reflects the Chinese leader's determination to resist foreign pressure and assert China's national interests. The meeting between Xi and Trump is seen as a critical moment in their trade war, as the two leaders hold contrasting views on China's role in the international modern order. For Xi, Lin's legacy serves as a reminder that China must never bow to foreign pressure, but also never negotiate from a position of weakness.

Key Takeaways:

  • The poem kept by Xi Jinping on his desk, written by Lin Zexu, emphasizes the sanctity of national interest and the importance of resisting foreign pressure.
  • Lin's legacy is celebrated in Chinese textbooks and speeches, and he is seen as a national hero for standing up to Britain in the Opium War.
  • Xi Jinping's strategy of pushing back against Trump suggests he believes China has finally accumulated the strength to succeed where Lin could not.
  • The 19th-century showdown between China and the West began with mounting Western anger over China's trade surplus, with Britain turning to opium to narrow the gap.
  • Commissioner Lin Zexu's efforts to halt the opium trade and restore Qing dynasty finances ended in disaster for China, with Britain gaining control of Hong Kong.
  • China's public security minister, Wang Xiaohong, has visited the site of Lin's anti-drug actions in the 19th century, vowing to carry out a "victorious people's war on drugs in the new era."
  • The Lin Zexu Foundation, which manages the birthplace of the commissioner, is managed by a seventh-generation descendant, Lin Yanyi, who said that the lesson from Lin's showdown with Britain is clear: Never bend to foreign pressure or concede the moral high ground.
  • Mao Linli, a Fuzhou historian and adviser to the foundation, said that were he alive today, Lin would never accept American demands, and instead would stand on the side of right and assert China's interests.

Statistics:

  • 1,000 tons of opium were handed over to Lin Zexu by smugglers in the 19th century.
  • China exports nearly $500 billion worth of goods annually to the United States.
  • The value of the opium destroyed by Lin Zexu is estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars at current prices.
  • China's trade surplus with the United States is over $300 billion annually.
  • China's rare earth mineral exports are crucial to modern manufacturing, with the country accounting for over 90% of global production.

Sources:

  • "The Opium War: Drugs, Dreams and the Making of Modern China" by Julia Lovell
  • "The Opium War Through Chinese Eyes" by Julia Lovell
  • "The New York Times" (article title and author not specified)
  • Lin Zexu Foundation
  • Chinese government sources
  • Mao Linli's biography (author not specified)