The world continues to distort Xi Jinping’s name and title

It’s been 11 years since Xi Jinping took power in China and became one of the most powerful people in the world. However, for many outsiders, this is not enough time to learn how to pronounce his name. Foreign politicians and experts often stumble on this point. The letters “x” and “j” cause the most problems. In English-speaking countries, many people mistakenly insert a series of “z” sounds into their pronunciation.

It was on display when Mr Xi met with US President Joe Biden last month. Radio waves around the world rang with a garbled sibilance. Many pronunciation guides on the internet (and videos of people trying and failing to say Mr. Xi’s name) still don’t seem to have solved the problem.

But when it comes to Mr. Xi, there is an even bigger source of confusion. This is related to his position. Like past Chinese leaders, Mr. Xi holds three distinct positions. The most important person is the general secretary of the ruling Communist Party. It is this role that makes him China’s best leader. He is also the chairman of the party’s Central Military Commission, meaning the supreme commander of the military.

The least important of his titles is that of state president. This is primarily a ceremonial role, similar to nominal roles elsewhere. Consider Germany or Israel, where the president has little power. Mao Zedong was the first president of communist China, but the position has also been appointed to powerless figures. It remained vacant for a while during the 1960s and into his 1970s. It was completely abolished in 1975 and revived in the early 1980s. The tradition of Chinese leaders holding all three titles took root under Jiang Zemin, who served as president from 1993 to 2003.

However, when foreign media and politicians refer to Mr. Xi, they usually choose the title of president. If you communicate in English, the Chinese government will also communicate in English. This is misleading not only because it is the least important of the three hats Mr. Xi wears. This is also a bad translation. The title of China’s president, “Zhuozhuxi,” means “head of the country.” China uses another term to refer to Biden and other presidents: “zongtong.”

Of course, “chairman” and “general secretary” have a whiff of Leninism. Also, “Chairman of the Central Military Commission” sounds like a title for a military regime leader. Perhaps China thinks that “president” is more familiar (less creepy-sounding). However, foreign commentators do not have to follow China’s wishes. When in doubt, he might consider taking a cue from Biden and calling Xi a dictator.

© 2023, The Economist Newspaper. All rights reserved. Published under license by The Economist. Original content available at www.economist.com.