Top Chinese Leadership as the 'Advisor Group' to Xi's Absolute Power [Global Focus]

Reviewing the 6 Members of the CPC Politburo Standing Committee
Unexpected Appointment of Li Chang, Expected to Rank 6th-7th
President Xi Gives Legitimacy to Zero-COVID Policy
'Promotion Follows Government Orders' Message

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Kim Hyunjung] On the 23rd of last month, immediately after the conclusion of the 1st Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (the 1st Plenum), a press conference was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. As the six remaining members of the Politburo Standing Committee entered following President Xi Jinping, a momentary silence fell within the party. Some Western journalists sighed softly and shook their heads together. According to attendees at the time, even insiders were somewhat surprised by the absence of Vice Premier Hu Chunhua, who was expected to play a balancing role, and the lineup dominated entirely by Xi Jinping’s close associates. This moment is seen as the transition of the Standing Committee member, who was at the pinnacle of Chinese political power, into a ‘group of aides.’

◆ Standing Committee Symbolizing ‘Xi’s Absolute Power’ = If the order of entry into the press conference hall after the 1st Plenum follows China’s political protocol, where the order of entry signifies national ranking, then Li Qiang, Party Secretary of Shanghai, who entered immediately behind President Xi on the 23rd, was selected as the successor to Premier Li Keqiang. Initially expected to enter the Standing Committee around ranks 6 to 7, he was dramatically promoted, breaking the unwritten rule of becoming premier only after serving as vice premier. However, there is much concern about ‘Number Two Li Qiang.’ Appointing the person who locked down Shanghai due to pandemic control failures, which damaged China’s economy, as the chief economic official is interpreted as President Xi legitimizing his zero-COVID policy while sending a message that those who follow central government orders regardless of local resistance will be rewarded with promotions.

Li Qiang, often described by foreign media as ‘Xi Jinping’s loyal aide,’ is indeed a close confidant with a long history with President Xi. Starting as Party Secretary of Wenzhou City, he built his career across the Yangtze River Delta region as Zhejiang Governor, Jiangsu Party Secretary, and Shanghai Party Secretary. From 2002 to 2007, when Xi was Party Secretary of Zhejiang Province, Li served as his secretary, closely assisting him. Along with Cai Qi, Beijing Party Secretary, and Ding Xuexiang, Director of the Central Office, who also entered the Politburo Standing Committee, he is considered part of the ‘Zhijiang New Army (Zhijiang Xinjun),’ Xi’s close associates from Zhejiang Province.

Zhao Leji, Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection ranked third in national hierarchy, and Wang Huning, Secretary of the Central Secretariat ranked fourth, are expected to assume the positions of Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress and Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, respectively. Apart from President Xi, these two are the only ones who retained their Standing Committee seats from the 19th Central Committee. They are also typical ‘Xi loyalists’ armed with strong oaths of loyalty and nationalist ideology, making it difficult to see them as figures who would check or restrain him. Some have speculated that Zhao Leji is part of the Shanghai faction closely linked to former General Secretary Jiang Zemin, but the established view is that he became one of Xi’s closest aides by winning favor since his time as a Standing Committee member in Qinghai Province, where he sanctified the grave of Xi’s father, Xi Zhongxun. Above all, he was at the forefront of the anti-corruption purge, which was effectively part of Xi’s power consolidation, and is also a ‘Shanxi faction’ ally who served as Party Secretary in Xi’s home province of Shanxi.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

◆ New Faces Also Share the Trait of ‘Loyal Xi Aides’ = Ranks 5 to 7 are all newcomers to the Standing Committee. They are Cai Qi, Beijing Party Secretary; Ding Xuexiang, Director of the Central Office; and Li Xi, Guangdong Party Secretary. Although they come from different provinces?Fujian, Jiangsu, and Guangdong respectively?and vary in age and experience, they all share the common trait of being ‘loyal Xi aides’ closely connected to President Xi.

Cai Qi is considered an unexpected entrant. He is expected to succeed Wang Huning as Secretary of the Central Secretariat. Having served as Xi’s aide for over ten years in Fujian and Zhejiang provinces, he rose rapidly, becoming acting mayor of Beijing in late 2016, mayor in 2017, and Beijing Party Secretary in 2018. In 2017, he faced controversy over forced evictions of lower-class residents, which sparked a movement among elite university students calling for his resignation.

Another newcomer is Ding Xuexiang, expected to be the next Vice Premier. Born in the 1960s (‘post-1960s generation’), he is the youngest among the Standing Committee members at 60 years old. He served as Director of the Office when Xi was Party Secretary of Shanghai, although their overlapping period was brief?from March to October 2007, less than a year. Despite the short tenure, he gained Xi’s trust and was appointed to lead the Central Office, which handles security, communications, and other affairs for top leaders of the Party Central Committee.

Li Xi, expected to become Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, is a ‘Shanxi faction’ member strongly tied to Xi through Shanxi’s ‘Yan’an.’ He served as Party Secretary in Yan’an from 2006 to 2011, a base of former Vice Premier Xi Zhongxun and the place where young Xi was sent during the Cultural Revolution exile. At the start of his third term, Xi showed special affection by visiting Yan’an with the new top leadership, marking the beginning of their local visits. Li Xi became Guangdong Party Secretary in 2017 and promoted closer integration of Hong Kong and Macau with nine southern cities. During the early stages of the 2019 anti-government protests in Hong Kong, he instructed officials to ‘guard the southern gate.’

Among the five Guangdong Party Secretaries appointed since 1994, four have risen to the Standing Committee, with Vice Premier Hu Chunhua being the sole exception. Hu, who failed to secure a seat in the Politburo this time, is expected to step down from the vice premiership in the cabinet reshuffle scheduled for March next year. There is speculation that the final count of Politburo members being 24 instead of the usual 25 was due to last-minute debates over including Hu Chunhua. He is a representative figure of the Hu Jintao faction within the Communist Youth League and was considered the heir apparent handpicked by former President Hu Jintao as the next leader.

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