In a public appearance is China’s ruler with natural hair color to see. With that, Xi Jinping breaks with a decade-long tradition – for a good reason.
At the annual People’s Congress in Beijing, Xi Jinping appeared with gray hair tresses. The 65-year-old with his changed appearance breaks after decades of unity with an unwritten rule – traditionally Chinese rulers dye their hair jet-black.
The rule break is probably not a fad, but above all political strategy. Xi, who secured his life for life last year, wants to prove his closeness to the people – and set himself apart from his dyed party comrades, according to a report by CNN. The black hair color should prove unity within the party and give the mostly older delegates a youthful image.
„Xi Jinping wants to get rid of this tradition to look more like an average Chinese, a man of the people,“ said Willy Lam from the University of Hong Kong. Lam is an expert in Chinese politics.
„It could be a strategy to counter criticism that Xi builds a Mao-like personality cult around,“ said Lam. „It’s a kind of diversionary technique to make it less aristocratic in the Chinese sense.“
Recently, there have been repeated reports of a crisis in the Chinese economy, and the trade dispute with the US is still smoldering. Just a few days ago, Prime Minister Li Keqiang delivered a critical government report by not ruling that China might miss its economic targets.
So far, it has been reserved for ceded politicians to show their natural hair color. Xis new hairstyle could now inspire others: Vice Prime Minister Liu He and Foreign Minister Wang Yi were recently spotted with gray hair.
