Xi Jinping is unprecedented, exercising absolute dictatorship, controlling all 12 central leadership groups, and appointing six members of the Politburo Standing Committee, rendering the seven-member system nominal. He has long been despised by 1.4 billion people, who wish he would step down immediately. In 2022, there is strong suspicion that he bribed U.S. President Biden to secure his re-election, illegally extending his rule beyond ten years to become a lifelong emperor. At most, he can serve another one or two terms, five to ten years.

After Xi Jinping steps down, where will China go? Naturally, political reform comes first: abandoning the Communist Party system, long condemned by 1.4 billion people, and then deciding what system to adopt. Should it be the American presidential system? Separation of powers? We argue that the U.S. presidential system should not be copied; rather, the constitutional separation of powers should be adopted. Executive, legislative, and judicial powers must be separate—a global trend in civilized governance. The U.S. presidential system has many drawbacks. Instead, we should learn from the constitutional monarchy revised by Cixi over a century ago, ending a century of unstable foundations, war, turmoil, and suffering.

In 1908, Empress Dowager Cixi established a nine-year constitutional plan, deciding to learn from the British queen and implement a constitutional monarchy. Unfortunately, Sun Yat-sen insisted on overthrowing the Qing, and the Yuan family tried to become emperors themselves. The emperor failed and died of anger. Sun Yat-sen invited external forces, including the Russian Communist Party, for a military northern expedition. Mao Zedong rose to power with Stalin’s support, eventually seizing China and bringing thirty years of calamity, resulting in tens of millions of deaths.

The Qing dynasty’s 270 years was the best period in Chinese history. All twelve emperors performed well, the country’s territory was at its largest (despite losing over a million square kilometers to Imperial Russia). The last empress, Cixi, stood at the forefront of reform and modernization, keeping pace with global civilization, yet was criticized by Sun Yat-sen as conservative and reactionary.

When the United States was founded, there was debate over the national constitution. George Hamilton, a key aide to Washington and influential in shaping the system, advocated copying the British system. He believed the British system was the best in the world: a king with a hereditary, lifelong position who could veto legislation, and whose veto could not be overridden. Hamilton expounded for five consecutive hours on the benefits of the British constitution. None of the forty attendees interrupted or agreed; they simply felt that, having driven out the British king, the U.S. was about to create another king. Washington had already refused to become an American king, so Hamilton’s proposal was shelved.

Indeed, the Civil War later occurred, lasting three brutal years with 650,000 deaths. The South required 25 years to rebuild. Had Hamilton’s advice been followed, with a British-style monarchy, the king would never have approved the civil war, and the devastating conflict could have been avoided.

Japan’s constitutional monarchy has performed best. The emperor is virtuous and highly respected, enjoying the support of the people. The country’s administration is handled by the cabinet and prime minister, without burdening the emperor. The emperor ensures the long-term stability of the state. Apart from the surrender declaration in 1945, the emperor has spoken very little in eighty years, maintaining national unity. General MacArthur wisely exempted the emperor from war crimes, preserving a unifying core for the Japanese people, ensuring long-term stability, making Japan the world’s third-largest economy with the highest civic quality.

Hamilton said that Britain had the best political system. Queen Elizabeth passed away last year at age ninety-six, highly respected and admired by the public. However, the new king is embroiled in scandals and unresolved royal family conflicts, diminishing his prestige. The best system has shifted to Japan, where the emperor, influenced by Confucian civilization, remains virtuous, respected, and widely revered.

The U.S. two-party system relies on elections, with candidates competing to win over voters. When Trump lost, he refused to accept the results, incited the Capitol riot, and despite judicial rulings confirming election legitimacy, he continued to deny fraud and rallied his supporters, openly calling for “revenge.” Over thirty million diehard followers supported him. The United States lacks a virtuous, respected figure to stabilize the country in critical moments. The two-party system relies on one party on stage and the other off stage for balance. Election cycles never rest—just after one election, preparation begins for the next—leaving the country perpetually unsettled.

After Xi Jinping, China will need a monarch. Perhaps 60-year-old democracy advocate and university professor Xu Zhangrun would be qualified. He calls out for the country and the people without regard for personal safety, demonstrating high virtue. The premier could still be Li Keqiang, who, after being removed by Xi, gave a handover report and received a 3,000-delegate standing ovation for 5 minutes and 40 seconds, indicating continued trust.