[China Xi Jinping 3rd Term] After Principles and Practices Are Broken... No Checks and Balances, No Women Either

Top Leadership Appointments Announced on the 23rd... Closest Aides Fully Positioned
Politburo Members Reduced from 25 to 24
First Female Politburo Member in 25 Years

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Kim Hyun-jung] The list of the Standing Committee members of the Political Bureau and Political Bureau members of China's top leadership, released on the 23rd, showed neither checks on power nor gender balance. Most of the personnel principles or practices that had been regarded as unwritten rules were broken, and it appears to be the result of Xi Jinping's 'decision' to lead all appointments without concern for external views or evaluations.

The list of seven Standing Committee members of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, announced on the 23rd, included Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Party Secretary of Shanghai, Zhao Leji, Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, Wang Huning, Secretary of the Central Secretariat, Cai Qi, Party Secretary of Beijing, Ding Xuexiang, Director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, and Li Xi, Party Secretary of Guangdong Province. All of them are classified as close aides from the Xi Jinping faction, known as the Xi family army (習家軍), who have worked closely with Xi.

On the same day, Xi Jinping was re-elected as General Secretary of the Party and Chairman of the Central Military Commission at the first plenary session of the 20th Central Committee (the 1st Plenum), confirming his 'third term.' Based on the order of entry at the press conference for the new Standing Committee held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on the same day, Li Qiang is expected to become Premier of the State Council, Zhao Leji to become Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), and Wang Huning to become Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). Li Xi was elected Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection at the 1st Plenum. Cai Qi is expected to serve as Secretary of the Central Secretariat, and Ding Xuexiang is rumored to be appointed as Vice Premier.

By confirming his third term at the age of 69, Xi Jinping broke the principle of "seven up, eight down" (retaining those aged 67, retiring those aged 68), and abandoned the tradition of "generational designation" introduced by former Chairman Deng Xiaoping to prevent the evils of power struggles, which required the current leader to designate the next leader in advance. The unwritten rule that the Premier must have served as Vice Premier before ascending was also broken by effectively nominating Li Qiang as the successor to Premier Li Keqiang.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

At the same time, factions other than the Xi family army, which were expected to join the top leadership, were either excluded or pushed toward retirement. Li Keqiang, Premier and a member of the Communist Youth League (CYL) faction affiliated with former Chairman Hu Jintao, who had differences with Xi Jinping on economic policy, and Wang Yang, CPPCC Chairman and considered a successor to Li Keqiang, were not even listed as members of the Central Committee announced the day before, and are expected to retire after maintaining their positions until March next year. Hu Chunhua, Vice Premier and also a candidate for the next Premier from the CYL faction, was included in the Central Committee but was excluded from the announced list of Standing Committee members of the Political Bureau.

The Political Bureau also reflected changes in power. The announced list of Political Bureau members was finalized at 24, down one from the previous 25, and for the first time in 25 years, no women were included. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, no women have ever been appointed to the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau, but since 1997, women have increasingly been included as Political Bureau members. This was a personnel decision that considered gender equality values ahead of actual power. Although there were no female members at the 15th Party Congress in 1997, female alternate members who could attend meetings without voting rights were present.

Regarding this, Victor Xi, Associate Professor of Political Economy at the University of California, told CNN UK, "There are many capable female cadres within the party, but they are marginalized at all levels," adding, "This could have long-term effects on gender equality within the party." Bloomberg News viewed the reduction of Political Bureau members from 25 to 24 as "another sign of power changes that strengthen control." Hui Feng, Senior Lecturer at Griffith University in Australia, told the news agency, "One-man rule is now complete," explaining, "Who becomes Premier no longer matters. Economic policy will succumb to politics." The news agency also predicted that Premier Li might be nominated as Vice Premier ahead of the next National People's Congress (NPC) in March.