On October 18, former Australian Prime Minister and current U.S. Ambassador Kevin Rudd held a global launch for his new book, “On Xi Jinping: How Xi’s Marxist Nationalism is Shaping China and the World,” at the Asia Society in New York. The event featured a dialogue between Rudd, New York Times journalist Jane Perlez, and Orville Schell, the director of the Center on U.S.-China Relations. They engaged in a deep discussion about Xi Jinping’s worldview and how it differs from those of previous leaders, as well as the implications of this shift for China’s policies and the global landscape.

In his over 600-page work, Rudd draws on his experiences as both a former prime minister and diplomat, along with his academic background in Chinese studies at Oxford. He analyzes Xi Jinping’s thoughts and policy directions, employing a wealth of Chinese literature to dissect the core paradigms of Xi’s ideology. Rudd explores how these paradigms could illuminate China’s future trajectory and its impact on the world.

Perlez noted that many people believe ideology is not significant to Xi Jinping, asserting that power is the central concern. However, Rudd argues that in contemporary China, ideology remains crucial in policy formulation. “The collapse of the Soviet Union had a profound effect on Xi Jinping, a fact reflected many times in his writings and speeches,” Rudd explained. “Xi believes that a nation must have a strong Leninist framework and belief system, or risk repeating the Soviet Union’s fate.”

Rudd pointed out that Xi uses a near-religious language, viewing Marxism as a process that requires continual “re-baptizing.” Yet, he also emphasized that unlike the highly ideological emphasis during Mao Zedong’s era, Xi’s ideology is not merely symbolic but fundamentally shapes China’s policies. Xi’s approach has a pragmatic tint—strengthening state-owned enterprises and promoting “common prosperity” are prime examples. A key focus of Xi’s policies has been to reinforce state control over the political, economic, and social spheres.

The final three chapters of Rudd’s book address the potential for a “post-Xi Jinping era.” He suggests that as long as Xi remains in power, the ideological underpinnings of the Chinese Communist Party will continue to drive policy changes. However, after Xi, China’s political landscape may revert to a “control and release” pattern reminiscent of the political fluctuations seen after 1949. “When political changes occur in China, forces discontent with Xi’s current level of control and discipline could eventually restore balance over time,” Rudd observed. “But who can predict exactly when that will happen? It’s hard to say right now.”