Chinese President Xi Jinping. (File/AP)A former Chinese Communist Party member Tuesday accused President Xi Jinping of “damaging the country’s reputation” and alleged that many in the party hold a similar view, The Guardian reported.
Cai Xia, a prominent professor at China’s elite Central Party School, in an interview to The Guardian also claimed that several people in the Communist Party now “want out”.
Xia was expelled from the party on Monday after an audio recording of her criticising the President were leaked on the internet in June.
“Under the regime of Xi, the Chinese Communist Party is not a force for progress for China. In fact, it is an obstacle to China’s progress,” Xia told The Guardian.
“I believe I am not the only one who wants to leave this party. More people would like to withdraw or quit this party,” she was quoted as saying by The Guardian. “I had intended to quit the party years ago when there was no more room to speak and my voice was completely blocked,” she added.
The professor was first interviewed by the British daily in June after her recording was first released. Xia initially asked the interview to not be published owing to the threats she and her family received, but later agreed.
In her initial interview, she had also blamed Xi for making China “an enemy” of the world,” the report said.
“I have much more freedom now. My speech is free from any constraints. I am responsible only for my own conscience and principles,” Xia told The Guardian.
The professor also claimed that there is “widespread opposition in the party” but only few dare to speak as they are “afraid of political retaliation in the form of internal party discipline and corruption charges”.
On handling of Covid-19 pandemic
Xia also alleged that Xi’s “unchecked power” led to inevitable mistakes including the country’s handling of Covid-19 outbreak.
“If he knew on January 7, why did it take until 20 January to announce the outbreak? In other words, the fact that people were concealing the news from him is the result of the system,” Cai said. “But when he knew the situation on 7 January, he did not make it public or mobilise resources. So shouldn’t he bear responsibility?” she told The Guardian.
In the interview, Cai also blamed the Chinese President for making the “world an enemy”. “He has made the world an enemy. At home, all these big issues are left to him to decide. In other words, whether it is a domestic or international issue, it is very difficult for others to restrict him. It is inevitable that his judgment and decisions will be mistaken,” she said.