China’s economy has been doing well. Education is big. Astronauts. Space stations. And the culture is nothing like it was during the reign of Mao Zedong. Mao was the epitome of evil — the biggest mass murderer in the history of the world. Mao takes credit for the starvation and execution of 45 million of his own people during the five years from 1958 to 1962. And we’re not counting the before and after. . . . .

Xi Jinping has had a role to play in China’s rise but also its increasing descent. He is covetous. He wants to be the King of China for years and years more. He is growing the military. And being aggressive. Threatening. Hong Kong is victimized and Taiwan is in his sights. Mao’s poisonous visage is again being touted. And Xi is beginning to kill and punish anyone who disagrees. What he doesn’t realize is three things: life is short; his time will end; and yet – he could still be a hero. Simply by adopting the qualities of one. Courage. Compassion. Integrity. Charity. Friendship. Reconciliation. Self sacrifice. And serving as a role model for others.

Unlike Russia, I perceive Xi and China as still having a bare sliver of a chance. Think of the leaders who have made a difference by adopting these qualities. Leaders with character – Lincoln, Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Winston Churchill, and so many others. Wouldn’t it be great if world leaders and would-be leaders would strive to be heroes instead of planning and executing violence, hatred and corruption against their people and others? Haven’t they learned in the last 4,000 years that it doesn’t work?

I’d love to meet Mister Xi. I would like to squeeze his nose and say 醒来我的朋友 (XING LÁI WO DE PÉNGYOU or “wake up my friend“)! Though that would achieve nothing. I would probably gently tell him – maybe – just maybe – you could still be a hero. . . .” Whether he would listen is purely up to him.