'Chinese Dream Architect' Wang Huning Appointed as China's No. 3... Power Map 'Seismic Shift' Predicted (Summary)

Pro-Market 'Number Two' Premier Li Keqiang May Fully Retire
Top Leadership Undergoes Major Overhaul Centered on Xi Jinping Faction

Wang Huning, Secretary of the Central Secretariat, who is expected to rise from the 5th to the 3rd rank in China's national power hierarchy as Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (Photo by Xinhua News Agency)

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Kim Hyun-jung] Wang Huning, the Central Secretariat Secretary known as the "Communist Party's strategist" who designed Xi Jinping's representative ideology of the Chinese Dream (中國夢) and socialism with Chinese characteristics, is expected to be appointed as the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the third highest-ranking position in the national power hierarchy. Li Keqiang, the Premier of the State Council classified as a pro-market reformist who has balanced China's unique ideological and policy directions at least on the surface, is expected to retire completely. As the seven members of the Politburo Standing Committee, the top leadership, are largely replaced with Xi Jinping loyalists, a tectonic shift in China's power structure is anticipated.

On the 19th, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that Wang Huning, currently ranked fifth in China's national power hierarchy, is likely to be nominated as the Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee. The outlet had previously reported that four of the seven Politburo Standing Committee members would retire, and half of the Central Committee members would be replaced. Born in 1955 and aged 67 this year, Wang fits the leadership selection principle of "7 up 8 down" (retaining those aged 67 or younger, retiring those 68 or older).

Wang, considered the next Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, is the only scholar among the Standing Committee members without any local administrative experience. Before joining the top leadership in 2017, he served as the director of the Central Policy Research Office, the Communist Party's think tank. Wang is the first Standing Committee member in the 101-year history of the Chinese Communist Party without local administrative experience and the only current leader with experience living in the United States (1988).

Although he may appear as an "outlier" in China's political world, which values lineage and legitimacy, Wang has long been the strategist providing governance ideology to three generations of leaders: Jiang Zemin, Hu Jintao, and Xi Jinping. It is widely accepted that Xi's Chinese Dream and socialism with Chinese characteristics originated from Wang's ideas. Scholars both inside and outside China believe that the shift in foreign policy from "keeping a low profile" (韜光養晦, daoguang yanghui) to challenging hegemony as a "major power" was largely influenced by him. His book, "America Against America" (美國反對美國, 1991), which critiques contradictions in American politics, economy, electoral system, and governance, is considered a classic in China. In it, he reflects on the contradictions in American society that contradict the slogan of democracy and predicts the eventual loss of America's hegemonic status. This view aligns precisely with China's current approach toward the United States.

Second-in-command Premier Li Keqiang is expected to retire completely. He had occasionally expressed critical views of China's stringent "zero-COVID" policy and was once analyzed as being in opposition to Xi Jinping. Although many speculated that he might move to the position of Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee after stepping down as Premier, he is expected to be edged out of the leadership in favor of Wang Huning.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

As for the next Premier, names such as Li Qiang, Party Secretary of Shanghai who supported the city's lockdown, Hu Chunhua, Vice Premier and close aide to former President Hu Jintao, and Wang Yang, Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), have been mentioned amid much speculation. On the 18th (local time), Bloomberg cited Vice Premier Hu as a candidate for Premier, noting that "if he takes the position, it is because Xi Jinping wants a 'weak number two' who will not challenge his authority rather than a potential successor." Neil Thomas, chief China analyst at Eurasia Group, was quoted saying, "He has experience in policy implementation but lacks the authority to change the system." The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) cited sources the previous day naming Li Qiang as the next Premier. Li is a key figure in the "Xi Jinping faction" (習家軍, Xi's old network) and served as Xi's secretary when Xi was Governor and Party Secretary of Zhejiang Province.

Those expected to fill new seats on the Politburo Standing Committee include Ding Xuexiang, director of the Party Central Office and a close aide to Xi Jinping, Li Xi, Governor of Guangdong Province, and Chen Min'er, Party Secretary of Chongqing. SCMP reported the previous day that Li Zhanshu, Chairman of the NPC, and Han Zheng, Vice Premier, will retire following the "7 up 8 down" convention, and that Wang Yang, once considered a strong candidate for Premier, may also step down from his position.

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