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- Xi is president because he has sold himself as ultra-competent. Events such as the coronavirus outbreak eat ultra-competence alive. As the minor disease shows itself to be more deadly, and the opening casualness misplaced, the ultra-competent politician has as his primary goal retaining his reputation. Step one is to ignore the event. Step two is to say it is under control. Step three is to silence those who say it is not under control. The ultra-competent leader doesn’t have a step four. The disease will take its own course, practicing its own style of competence.
It could hurt Xi’s reputation, but the Chinese people don’t choose leaders and I don’t think choosing leaders is on a mental roadmap. Maybe he could lose power within the CCP, but two whom? IMO the real cause for concern is what Xi would be willing to do to look competent.