Sunday, Xi Jinping will probably be renewed to the post of secretary general of the CCP, at the end of the first meeting of a reworked central committee.
Le Monde
a simple formality. The Chinese Communist Party (PCC) completed, on Saturday October 22, in Beijing its congress, which should crown President Xi Jinping with a third term and trace the political future of China for the next five years.
“Dare to fight for victory”, launched in a triumphant air Mr. XI at the end of the closing ceremony at the Palais de la Assemblé du Peuple, a huge Soviet style building that dominates the place Tiananmen.
This congress, the twentieth since the creation of the CCP in 1921, occurred in a delicate context for China, faced with a slowdown in its growth due to repeated confinements due to the COVID-19 epidemic and tensions diplomatic with the West.
For a week, some 2,300 delegates chosen by the PCC bodies had gathered behind closed doors to Beijing, with the mission of resolving the party team – and therefore the second world economy – and trace future Country orientations.
The composition of the new central committee, a sort of internal parliament of the party, was revealed there. Four sizes of the CPC, including the current Prime Minister, Li Keqiang, who will leave his duties in March, are no longer on the list published by the official China New Agency. The number three Chinese, Li Zhanshu, the Deputy Prime Minister, Han Zheng, and the president of the political consultative conference of the Chinese people (an assembly without decision-making), Wang Yang, also derive their reverence. Considered one of the most liberal votes in the party, Mr. Wang was one of the favorites for the post of Prime Minister.
Unusual scene in a very choreographed ceremony: former President Hu Jinta was escorted towards the exit, visibly against his will, found AFP journalists. The 79 -year -old man, who chaired China from 2003 to 2013, was encouraged by employees to get up from his headquarters, located next to that of Mr. XI. The scene was neither explained nor reported immediately by state media.
recomposition of the political bureau
Sunday, Mr. XI will probably be renewed to the post of secretary general of the CCP, after the first meeting of the revalled central committee. Simple formality, the procedure must allow Mr. Xi to win in March a third unique presidential term of five years.
To maintain himself in power, he had thus removed from the constitution, in 2018, the limit of two mandates. Mr. XI, 69, can therefore theory preside over the People’s Republic.
This congress should also lead to a large recomposition of the permanent committee of the political bureau. The new composition of this all -powerful organ of seven members currently – which holds power in China – will be revealed on Sunday.
According to unwritten traditions, part of the current members reach the age at which they are supposed to retire. In accordance with custom, the members of the permanent committee will be announced in order of importance, number one being the secretary general. A priori, number two, or number three, will be the next Prime Minister, who will succeed in March at Li Keqiang.
Since his arrival in power at the end of 2012, Mr. Xi has accumulated powers at the top of the second world power and presided over a strengthening of the regime authority. Head of the party, chief of the army, head of state …, the leader pleaded for the continuity of his policies during a speech in the triumphant tone at the opening of the Congress. The zero covid strategy should thus continue, despite its harmful consequences on the economy and the growing exasperation of the population in the face of confinements.
Saturday, the PCC integrated into its charter “the central role of the comrade Xi Jinping”, a resolution adopted unanimously which still seems to strengthen its power internally.
Far from prudent diplomacy of his predecessors, Mr. Xi should make the voice of China heard even more. Even if it means increasing tensions with the great American rival, especially around Taiwan’s question.