China The Hardening State

The book covers a crucial period when Xi Jinping, despite inner-Party opposition, decided to continue in China's top three leadership positions for an unprecedented third term. It explores the popular dissatisfaction accentuated by the slowing economy, loss of millions of jobs, low salaries and rising prices, and Xi Jinping imposing progressively stringent controls on the populace to quell dissatisfaction from metamorphosing into uncontrollable protests. Xi Jinping also introduced administrative curbs and monitoring of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)'s Politburo members accompanied by intensive ideological and political education of CCP cadres and People's Liberation Army (PLA) personnel. Xi Jinping even personally vetted each cadre for the CCP Central Committee. The trade war with the US has exacerbated China's economic difficulties.

The book shows Xi Jinping's thus far unwavering efforts to make China a major world power rivalling, if not surpassing, the US by 2049. China has accordingly continued its aggressive policies to dominate Asia and effect the "rejuvenation" of China including reunification with Taiwan.

Rejuvenation, which includes "recovery" of so-called "lost" territories ensuring friction, interspersed with conflict, between India and China over the longer term is examined.

Jayadeva Ranade is President of the 'Centre for China Analysis and Strategy'. He has twice been a member of the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB) (2013-2015 & 2023-2025). He retired as Additional Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India in August 2008.

He has specialised for over 45 years in analysing developments relating to China, Tibet and East Asia and his foreign assignments include Hong Kong, Beijing and Washington DC.

He obtained a Diploma of Advanced Proficiency in Chinese from the Jawaharlal Nehru University and a Certificate and Diploma in Mandarin from the University of Hong Kong.

He was conferred both the highest awards of the Organisations out of turn.