Man of the Year 2026: Xi Jinping
Over the past twenty years, the income of China’s middle-class men has tripled, rising from $350 per year to $1,000. By comparison, wages in the US and Europe have grown much more modestly, from around €1,450 to €1,600 over the same period.
Congratulations to Xi Jinping.
He has put China back on the geopolitical map and taken a position of influence that Europe no longer seems to hold. Europe has stagnated, lacking decisive leadership. In contrast, China has benefited from a single, consistent leader for the last two decades—a stability mirrored in Russia under Putin.
The US has the advantage of dramatic political shifts, with public offices regularly switching between Democrats and Republicans. Yet Xi Jinping’s long-term leadership gives China a strategic continuity that few nations can match.
China has undergone a socio-economic and cultural revolution over the last twenty years. Despite historical trauma from colonialism, the country seems to have moved forward with a sense of pragmatism and, perhaps, a measure of forgiveness.
Xi Jinping could easily outmaneuver any European prime minister or president in terms of political strength and strategic thinking. The Chinese have become influential and, in many ways, “cool,” though they still face challenges in intercultural communication and social etiquette.
May China continue to grow in strength—and perhaps guide the world toward resilience and renewal.