Advertisement
Xi Jinping
ChinaPolitics

Xi Jinping shows his love of Game of Thrones but warns reality must not mirror fantasy

  • Chinese president tells foreign leaders ‘we must all make sure the world we live in does not descend into the chaotic warring seven kingdoms of Westeros’
  • Sources say Xi and Premier Li Keqiang squeeze specially condensed versions of the HBO smash hit into their busy schedules

Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
32
Chinese President Xi Jinping is a big fan of the hit HBO television series Game of Thrones. Photo: AP
SCMP Reporters

“When snow falls and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies but the pack survives.”

That might not have been exactly what Chinese President Xi Jinping told a group of foreign visitors at a meeting in Beijing but it turns out the powerful ruler of the Middle Kingdom is a fan of the hit HBO television series Game of Thrones .

Xi surprised both his aides and his guests when he brought up the topic, saying “we must all make sure the world we live in does not descend into the chaotic warring seven kingdoms of Westeros”, as depicted by George R.R. Martin in his epic fantasy, according to a person who was at the meeting.

It is not clear how much time Xi manages to squeeze out of his busy schedule to watch dragons, knights and sword fights at the heavily guarded Zhongnanhai compound, but he is not the only Chinese leader who likes the series, the final season of which began on April 15.

Xi told foreign leaders the real world must not become like the “chaotic warring seven kingdoms”. Photo: AP
Xi told foreign leaders the real world must not become like the “chaotic warring seven kingdoms”. Photo: AP
Premier Li Keqiang – the second-highest ranking official in China – also cited Game of Thrones when speaking about China’s relations with Central and Eastern Europe at a forum last month in Dubrovnik, the medieval Croatian city that doubles as King’s Landing, the capital of the Seven Kingdoms, in the show.

Set in the imagined world of Westeros, Game of Thrones is known for its dramatic twists, political intrigue and strong characters. Its popularity has swept across the world and in China – whose Mandarin name translates as “Middle Kingdom” – the fan base runs into the tens of millions.

Advertisement