Xi Jinping's Third Term Virtually Confirmed as Party Congress Set for October 16

Will Xi Ascend to the Ranks of Mao?
All Eyes on "People's Leader" Title and Party Chairman Role
Selection of Seven Politburo Standing Committee Members to Lead China for the Next Five Years Also in Focus

[Asia Economy, Senior Reporter Cho Youngshin] The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), which will decide whether Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC (also President and Chairman of the Central Military Commission), will serve a third term, will be held on October 16. In March 2018, the National People's Congress (NPC), which serves as China's legislature, removed the constitutional clause prohibiting a third presidential term, laying the foundation for President Xi's potential third term.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The People's Daily, the official newspaper of the Communist Party, reported on its front page on August 31 that, during a Politburo meeting presided over by General Secretary Xi, a proposal was made to the 7th Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee to hold the 20th Party Congress in Beijing on October 16. The 7th Plenary Session will take place on October 9.

The Party Congress, held every five years, is the largest political event in China, determining the leadership that will guide the country for the next five years. President Xi was elected General Secretary at the 18th Party Congress in 2012 and has governed China for a decade. The term for China's president is five years, but re-election is permitted. Both of President Xi's predecessors, Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao, each served for ten years.

Since the 2018 constitutional amendment, there has been widespread speculation that President Xi would seek a third term. Given that President Xi was born in 1953, some predict that he could even remain in power for life.

Some observers also predict that, through this Party Congress, President Xi may be granted the title of "People's Leader." This title, meaning the supreme leader of the people, has not been bestowed upon anyone since Mao Zedong ("Great Leader"). It effectively grants the authority of a "paramount leader," allowing continued involvement in Party and state affairs even after stepping down from official positions.

There is also the possibility of reviving the position of Party Chairman. According to the CPC's organizational chart, the General Secretary ranks below the NPC and the Central Committee. Mao Zedong established the position of General Secretary (then called Secretary-General) in 1954 and appointed Deng Xiaoping to the role. Since then, the position of Party Chairman has remained vacant.

In particular, as tensions between the US and China intensify, US politicians have often referred to President Xi as "General Secretary" in a diminutive sense. This has fueled speculation that the Party may elevate Xi's position from General Secretary to Party Chairman.

The restoration of the Party Chairman role would place General Secretary Xi on par with Mao Zedong, the founding father of the People's Republic of China. Some interpret President Xi's mention of "Common Prosperity" (共同富裕-a society where everyone lives well) at the 10th Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission meeting in August last year as a strategic move with Mao in mind. President Xi's vision of common prosperity aligns closely with Mao Zedong's theory of shared wealth (共富論).

Alongside the confirmation of President Xi's third term, attention is also focused on the selection of the next members of the Politburo Standing Committee. The 19th Standing Committee consists of seven members (listed in order of rank): President Xi, Premier Li Keqiang, NPC Standing Committee Chairman Li Zhanshu, Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Chairman Wang Yang, Central Secretariat Secretary Wang Huning, Central Commission for Discipline Inspection Secretary Zhao Leji, and Vice Premier Han Zheng. The Standing Committee members who will lead China with President Xi for the next five years are expected to be decided at the 1st Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee, likely to be held around October 23-24, after the 20th Party Congress concludes.

Analyses have also emerged regarding why the 20th Party Congress, initially expected to be held in late October or early November, is now scheduled for mid-October. Considering that the US midterm elections will be held on November 8, it is believed that the Chinese leadership moved up the political schedule. Some analysts see this as a political strategy by President Xi, representing the "permanent bureaucracy," to put pressure on "political appointee" President Joe Biden.

Meanwhile, on the previous day, President Xi encouraged China's civil servant organization ahead of the Party Congress by inviting and commending 397 exemplary civil servants in Beijing.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.