[20th Party Congress] All Rival Forces Ousted... Stronger Xi's 'Absolute Power'

Economic Chief 'Second-in-Command' Premier Li Keqiang Excluded from Top Leadership
Wang Yang Retirement Confirmed... Li Qiang Likely Next Premier as Shanghai Party Secretary

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Kim Hyunjung] Chinese President Xi Jinping has effectively secured a third term by being named on the list of the next Central Committee members of the Chinese Communist Party. As many figures who are difficult to classify as part of the Xi family faction (習家軍, Xi Jinping's faction) or who could check his policy initiatives have been ousted, the absolute power of the 'one-man regime' is expected to strengthen further.

According to local Chinese media on the 22nd, President Xi was included in the list of members of the 20th Central Committee of the Party announced on the closing day of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party (Party Congress), effectively formalizing his third term. Since former Presidents Hu Jintao and Jiang Zemin, who were not on the list of the next Central Committee members, had stepped down from their positions, being included in this list can be interpreted as maintaining the top leadership position.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

◆Current Premier and Leading Candidates from the Communist Youth League All Ousted= Li Keqiang, the second-in-command in China, was excluded from this list and will step down from the top leadership. Although there was speculation that Premier Li would continue his political career by moving to the position of Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), it appears he will fully retire after maintaining the premiership until March next year.

Wang Yang, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and a strong candidate for the next premier based on his career, also failed to make the Central Committee list. Wang is from the Communist Youth League (Gongqingtuan) faction, like former President Hu Jintao and Premier Li, rather than the Xi family faction, and thus was excluded from Xi Jinping's third-term top leadership lineup, which emphasizes faction, political color, and 'loyalty.'

Following the convention of retirement at age 68 (67 allowed to stay, 68 retires), Li Zhanshu, Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee at age 72, and Han Zheng, Executive Vice Premier at age 68, also stepped down. Li is part of the Xi faction, and Han, although from the opposing Shanghai faction, had experience assisting Xi when he was Party Secretary of Shanghai. However, major foreign media interpret this as Xi preparing for more than five additional years in power and preferring younger aides who can support him.

Among the seven current top leadership members, only three remain on the Central Committee list: Xi Jinping himself, Wang Huning, Secretary of the Central Secretariat and part of the Xi faction, and Zhao Leji, Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. Wang Yi, State Councilor and Foreign Minister, was also included, increasing the likelihood of his promotion or retention as a member of the 25-member Politburo. Vice Premier Liu He, known as an economic powerhouse, and Yang Jiechi, a Politburo member in charge of foreign affairs, were excluded from the Central Committee.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

◆Rapidly Rising Li Qiang... Skipping Vice Premier to Premier= After the opening of the 20th Party Congress, Li Qiang, Party Secretary of Shanghai, began to be identified as the next premier and was included in the Central Committee list. Classified as part of the Xi faction, Li was appointed in 2005 as secretary-general to Xi Jinping when Xi was Party Secretary of Zhejiang Province, closely assisting him. In 2007, he also served as a member of the Standing Committee of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee under Xi, then Party Secretary of Shanghai.

This year, Shanghai, the economic capital, was locked down due to failures in COVID-19 response, causing China's economic growth rate to plunge to 0.4% in the second quarter, leading to speculation that Li might be dismissed. Additionally, at the relatively young age of 63 and considering the unwritten Communist Party rule that one must serve as vice premier before becoming premier, some analysts thought it was unlikely for him to be chosen as the next premier. However, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP) stated, "If it aligns with a greater purpose, President Xi will not hesitate to break conventions," and evaluated that "as he prepares for a record third term as the top leader, he wants to build a 'young team' that can support him for more than five years."

Other candidates expected to fill the remaining four top leadership seats include Li Qiang, Li Xi, Party Secretary of Guangdong Province, Ding Xuexiang, Director of the Central Office, Chen Min'er, Party Secretary of Chongqing, and Hu Chunhua, Vice Premier. All were included in the Central Committee list announced that day.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Specific appointments will be confirmed on the 23rd. Newly formed Central Committee members will convene for the first plenary session of the 20th Central Committee to elect the General Secretary, members of the Politburo Standing Committee, and Politburo members. The lineup will be disclosed immediately afterward at a press conference, where the order of appearance will allow inference of rank and position.

Meanwhile, former President Hu Jintao drew attention by suddenly leaving during the closing ceremony of the Party Congress. According to AFP, after conversing with his aides, Hu was helped to stand and left the venue before the ceremony ended. He had been seated next to Xi Jinping and was seen talking with Xi and Premier Li, even patting Li on the shoulder. Li Keqiang and Wang Yang, both stepping down this time, are classified as part of the Communist Youth League faction like Hu. It appears that the elderly Hu left due to physical weakness, but some interpret this as a sign of discomfort with the recent personnel changes.

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