Rumors swirl about Xi and the CCP succession plans
There have been whispers inside the highly secretive ruling Party about his vise-like grip on China
Rumors have been swirling around Xi Jinping’s hold on power as the “Chairman of Everything.” Inside China, there have been whispers from the upper echelons of the highly secretive ruling Communist Party about his vise-like grip on the country.
All the levers of state are controlled by Xi. He is the General Secretary of the CCP and the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. He also has the superficial title of President, which glosses over his deep-seated authoritarian approach to government.
Democracy cannot be found in the Great Hall of The People, only in the opacity of a system where free speech and accountability are suppressed. The dissenting voices tend to come from inside the Party itself. None of them could be described as democrats.
“Those in the nerve center of the Chinese Communist Party have begun to discuss various negative effects brought about by the extreme amount of power Xi has managed to accumulate,” editorial writer Katsuji Nakazawa pointed out in Nikkei Asia.
“The main point at issue is that some Party organizations headed by Xi have become bloated and are overstepping their authority,” he said earlier this month.
Yet, this is the time of the year when the rumor mill is buzzing ahead of the annual summer retreat of elite officials to Beidaihe next month. The beach resort is three hours from Beijing, and its appeal dates back to the days of Mao Zedong.
Bill Bishop, founder of Sinocism
What I will say is, first, we don’t know. Chinese elite politics is a black box.
Behind the scenes:
- Still, Xi’s governing style appears to be changing, according to China experts.
- He recently “skipped the BRICS summit” for the first time in 12 years.
Delve deeper: Naturally, this spurred frenzied speculation concerning his position at the top of the Party pyramid. Now 72, he is starting to show his age.
Between the lines: Also, the “lack of an heir” or clear succession “plan creates an uncertainty that is grist for the mill,” Bloomberg News reported this week.
Big picture: Secrecy and speculation make a toxic mix. Perhaps Bill Bishop, the founder of Sinocism, captured the mood perfectly on his Sharp China Podcast.
Bottom line: “What I will say is, first, we don’t know. Chinese elite politics is a black box, so we cannot say with 100% confidence that nothing is going on,” he said.
China Factor comment: What is certain is that nothing is certain inside the Party labyrinth of perplexing politics.