[phyller]

Or maybe he is the first of the next generation of leaders that has forgotten the lessons learned under Mao.

[seanmcdirmid]

Xi came of age during the cultural revolution, which means he participated as a red guard, was sent down to the country side, went to college late, and much of his college education was ideological rather than practical. He is the first leader who is a career politician (has an engineering degree but never used it) and the first whose appointment is clearly about nepotism rather than merit. So...interesting guy.

[Slansitartop]

> Xi came of age during the cultural revolution, which means he participated as a red guard

No, he did not "participate" as a Red Guard, he and his family were persecuted by them.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/26/world/asia/xi-jinping-car...