Xi Emphasis of Mao Shows His Determination to Take an Authoritarian Path: Analysts

Xi has ’returned to the era of Mao’s fundamentalism, an era of extreme authoritarianism and planned economy': Analyst

Students do paper cutting portraits of the late former Chinese Communist Party leader Mao Zedong ahead of his 127th birthday which falls on Dec. 26, in Lianyungang in eastern China's Jiangsu Province on Dec. 23, 2020. STR/AFP via Getty Images

News Analysis

Beijing recently commemorated the anniversary of the birth of Mao Zedong, the former head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Compared with previous years, the activities this year were significantly larger in scale. Analysts believe the importance given to honoring Mao indicates that the current CCP head Xi Jinping is determined to make a full left turn.