China's 7th Plenary Session Concludes... "Must Unite More Closely Around Xi Jinping as Core"

Ahead of the Party Congress, 3rd Term Re-election Becomes a Foregone Conclusion
Emphasizing 'Establishment of Two' and 'Protection of Two'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Kim Hyun-jung] The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China emphasized the need to unite more closely around President Xi Jinping as the 7th Plenary Session, the final meeting preparing for the 20th National Congress of the Party, concluded. This is interpreted as implicitly signaling Xi’s third term and expressing support for the establishment and protection of his position.

On the 12th, China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency released a communiqu? on the 7th Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party, held in Beijing from the 9th, attended by 199 full members and 159 alternate members of the Party Central Committee.

The communiqu? stated, "The significant achievements in the Party’s and the country’s undertakings over the past five years have been under the firm leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core," emphasizing, "These were accomplished through the unity and struggle of the Party and all the people under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era." It further declared, "The establishment of Comrade Xi Jinping’s core position in the Party Central Committee and the whole Party, as well as the establishment of the guiding position of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, is the common aspiration of the entire Party, the whole army, and all ethnic groups across the country."

Moreover, it stressed, "The whole Party must deeply understand the decisive significance of the 'Two Establishes,' strengthen the 'Four Consciousnesses,' firmly uphold the 'Four Confidences,' and achieve the 'Two Safeguards,'" and insisted, "We must unite more closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core."

Here, the 'Two Establishes' refer to the establishment of Xi Jinping’s core status in the Party Central Committee and the whole Party, and the establishment of the guiding position of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics. The 'Two Safeguards' mean safeguarding Xi Jinping’s core status in the Party Central Committee and the whole Party, as well as safeguarding the authority and centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee.

The 'Four Consciousnesses' refer to political consciousness, overall situation consciousness, core consciousness, and alignment consciousness. These were first proposed by President Xi in his speech commemorating the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party in 2016, urging all Party comrades to "enhance political consciousness, overall situation consciousness, core consciousness, and alignment consciousness, and to be sincerely loyal to the Party." The 'Four Confidences' refer to confidence in the path, theory, system, and culture related to socialism with Chinese characteristics. This was also presented by Xi at the 95th anniversary ceremony.

Additionally, the communiqu? highlighted that the whole Party achieved a decisive victory in the anti-corruption campaign, consolidated it, improved the Party and state supervision system, and deepened reforms of the discipline inspection and supervision system, among other new achievements.

This emphasis on Xi Jinping’s achievements and the establishment of his position is seen as a strong indication that he will serve a third term. Following the 20th Party Congress, which opens on the 16th, Xi is expected to serve an additional five-year term.

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