Bloomberg Surveillance · Thursday, September 24, 2026
Elizabeth Economy states that Xi Jinping's position on the global stage has evolved, leading to his recognition as an equal to President Trump. She notes that Xi has always maintained a strong degree of inner confidence and a centralized approach to governance, amassing power in his own hands.
“I mean, I'm not sure that he himself is different. I think he has always maintained sort of a similar approach. He's always had a strong degree of inner confidence, but that in some respects, mass insecurity about the fact that he's not an elected leader of China. But I think he's always had a centralized approach to his governance, amassing a lot of power in his own hands. I think what's changed is his own position on the global stage, where he is now recognized as an equal to President Trump.”