China’s Xi Jinping is under pressure from Chinese Communist Party elders for a more defined succession system, insiders say.
We might be witnessing the most challenging and tumultuous period for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) since it came to power, with leadership succession becoming a pressing topic.
Insiders recently disclosed that Party elders called for a more defined succession system during the Third Plenum in July. The CCP holds the planning session every five years or so to decide on major economic and social policies.
CCP leader Xi Jinping is now under immense pressure, not only from the Party elders but, more importantly, from the continuing decline of the Chinese economy, which includes issues such as the stock market slump, the real estate crisis, and local debt problems. Internationally, he also faces significant challenges, from foreign trade and exports to the fallout from his support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, where he has invested considerable effort, money, and resources.
Faced with demands from Party elders, Xi himself may be reluctant to name a successor at this stage, but he can no longer ignore them. This gives hope to those who see themselves as potential successors.
Since the CCP’s founding, its leaders have typically come from the Politburo Standing Committee. Following this tradition, Premier Li Qiang, as the second-ranking member, seems poised to succeed Xi. Beyond this nominal status, however, Li lacks substantial advantages, and there is no guarantee of support from the Party elders.
Retired members of the Jiang faction, also known as the Shanghai clique, who are allies of the now-deceased former CCP leader Jiang Zemin, may oppose Li relentlessly because, in his previous role as the Shanghai mayor, he undermined their influence in Shanghai at Xi’s behest.
Moreover, Li’s lack of experience in the central government means he lacks crucial connections in Beijing.
In contrast, Cai Qi, the director of the CCP General Office and the fifth-ranking member of the Politburo Standing Committee, has spent the past year acquiring more titles and control over key committees, making it unlikely that he would accept Li as a superior.
By Zhong Yuan and Olivia Li
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