China’s leader Xi Jinping secures historic third term in power – live updates

Key events

Summary

It has been an extraordinary and historic day in China. Here are the main developments:

  • China’s Xi Jinping secured a precedent-breaking third leadership term on Sunday and introduced a new Politburo Standing Committee stacked with loyalists, cementing his place as the country’s most powerful ruler since Mao Zedong.

  • Shanghai Communist Party chief Li Qiang is likely to succeed Li Keqiang as premier when he retires in March.

  • The other members of the seven-man Standing Committee, China’s top governing body, are Zhao Leji and Wang Huning, who return from the previous committee, and newcomers Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang and Li Xi. Li Qiang is also new to the Standing Committee. All are perceived to have close allegiance to Xi, 69, who was also re-appointed on Sunday as chairman of the Central Military Commission.

  • The unveiling of the Standing Committee and the larger 24-member Politburo comes a day after the closing of the ruling Communist Party’s 20th Congress, where amendments were added to the party charter aimed at cementing the core status of Xi and the guiding role of his political thought within the party.

  • The new Politburo contains no women members, where previously there was at least one, and has reduced in number to 24 from 25.

  • The Standing Committee lineup is further confirmation that Xi’s grip on power is undiminished by the events of a tumultuous year, including a sharp economic slowdown, frustration over his zero-Covid policy, and China’s increasing estrangement from the West, exacerbated by his support for Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

More from Helen Davidson – the Standing Committee was formally selected by the powerful Politburo, the ranks of which were also revealed on Sunday. Shockingly, the new Politburo contains no women members, where previously there was at least one, and has reduced in number to 24 from 25.

Xi and the members of the Politburo Standing Committee:

This combination of photos created on October 23, 2022 shows China’s President Xi Jinping (L) and other new members of the Communist Party of China’s Politburo Standing Committee (top 2nd L to R) Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Zhao Leji, (bottom 2nd L to R) Li Xi, Li Qiang and Ding Xuexiang, as they meet the media in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing
This combination of photos created on October 23, 2022 shows China’s President Xi Jinping (L) and other new members of the Communist Party of China’s Politburo Standing Committee (top 2nd L to R) Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Zhao Leji, (bottom 2nd L to R) Li Xi, Li Qiang and Ding Xuexiang, as they meet the media in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing Photograph: Noel Celis/AFP/Getty Images

Here is some more reaction via Reuters:

Ja Ian Chong, political scientist, National University of Singapore.

“It certainly seems to be a consolidation of Xi’s position. This means that policies will be more directly attached to Xi for good or ill. I guess that translates to more focus on party-state control over business, less dependence on imports even as the PRC (People’s Republic of China) seeks to export. So probably more direct party-state direction of the economy. Investment will likely seek to meet those above goals, especially if they can bring in technology. So while there may be opportunities for investors, they have to look to both market forces and political preferences more. So more of what we have already been seeing.
“Probably no lifting of Covid-zero policy in the near future, and more assertiveness in foreign and security. Even more broadly, US-PRC friction will continue to grow.”

Dylan Loh, assistant professor, Nanyang Technology University:

“It’s quite clear that the Politburo have been stacked with Xi loyalists and that would mean he has a much freer rein and mandate in pursuing his domestic and foreign policies as collective leadership and decision making has been de-emphasised over coalescing around Xi and implementing his decisions. It seems that he has not elevated a potential successor for now, which gives him the flexibility for a fourth term. Regarding investment, I do not think China’s policies will turn sharply because of this line up, I think by and large Xi’s priorities have not changed.”

“Wang Huning’s presence also indicates to me that the ideological bent of the party and Xi will continue and even deepen.”

Helen Davidson has some snap reaction to Xi’s speech:

Quite a short speech from Xi Jinping just then, announcing the line-up of the new Standing Committee. All are seen as Xi loyalists, with the surprise addition of Cai Qi. Hu Chunhua was nowhere to be seen. 59-year-old Hu was considered to be the least Xi-aligned prospect and, having risen through the ranks as a member of the Communist Youth League faction, was perceived by some analysts as a potential threat to Xi – in as much as that is possible in the current context.

Xi’s speech touched on several of the same points he made during his 104-minute address at last Sunday’s Congress opening. He warned again of “choppy waters” and “dangerous” storms in China’s future dealings with the world. But he said China’s economy would continue “opening up”, and with global development and Chinese development both needing each other. China has hit economic troubles in the last year or so, with major slowdowns in growth. But he said China had created the twin miracle of fast economic growth and long term social stability, and these fundamentals would not change – suggesting the tight grip he has over the people’s lives and freedoms would remain.

He praised the successes of the CCP in boosting the prosperity of the Chinese people, and reaffirmed commitments to grow even more, into a “modern socialist nation”. He again pledged to achieve “rejuvenation of the Chinese nation”, a goal which requires the annexing of Taiwan. Before leaving the stage, he invited the world’s media to visit China, saying he “welcomes unbiased and truthful stories about China”. He then takes no questions.

Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks at an event to introduce new members of the Politburo Standing Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing
Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks at an event to introduce new members of the Politburo Standing Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing Photograph: Andy Wong/AP

Some analysis is coming in via Reuters:

  • “In terms of policymaking, it does mean that there is likely to be more deference to Xi Jinping’s own views about how to move the country and the economy forward,” said Alvin Tan, head of Asia FX strategy at RBC Capital Markets in Singapore.

  • “An abnormally lopsided victory for one faction, which is rare in the tradition of the Communist Party, in the past there would be a rough balance of power,” said Willy Lam, Senior Fellow at US think tank the Jamestown Foundation.
    “It means there won*t be any checks and balances. Xi Jinping also has total control over the larger Politburo and Central Committee,” he said.

Economic growth ‘downgraded’ as key party goal

Chris Miller, professor at Tufts University, Massachusetts, said Congress has “reaffirmed Xi’s decisive role in ruling the Communist Party, marking a continued shift away from collective leadership of party elites toward a personalised dictatorship.”

“It also appears to have confirmed the downgrading of economic growth as a key party goal, relative to other agenda items such as zero-Covid and the party’s political and ideological control.

“On tech, the key theme was self-sufficiency in science and technology, which is to be expected given the increasing decoupling of the US and Chinese tech sectors,” professor Miller said.

Mini profile of Li Qiang

Li Qiang, the party secretary of Shanghai and a Xi ally, is likely to be appointed the next premier after Li Keqiang steps down from premiership in March after two terms.

After it was revealed on Saturday that Wang Yang, previously thought to be a top contender for the post, was excluded from the list of some 200 central committee members, Li emerged to be a strong premier candidate in his current capacity as Shanghai’s party chief.

Shanghai has historically been a breeding ground for top national leaders. While Li’s prospects might have been dented by the chaos of Shanghai’s protracted Covid lockdown, analysts say Xi values loyalty and trustworthiness above all and Li’s strong rapport with Xi over the years has put him in good stead. Li was Xi’s chief of staff from 2004 to 2007 when Xi was Zhejiang province’s top party boss.

After Xi became China’s top leader, he promoted Li first to governor of Zhejiang and then party secretary of Jiangsu province, providing him with the regional governing experience and credentials he needed for bigger roles.

Li Qiang
Li Qiang Photograph: Noel Celis/AFP/Getty Images

Unlike most of the previous premiers, Li had no experience as a vice premier, but analysts say Li could be made a vice-premier in the next few months by the National People’s Congress Standing Committee and could then be appointed premier in March.

Li has proven himself to be a loyal follower of Xi – even when Shanghai’s two-month Covid lockdown caused widespread discontent and exacted heavy economic cost, Li insisted on strictly implementing the “zero Covid” policy in Shanghai according to “the spirit of the important instructions by Party Secretary Xi Jinping.”

Mini profile of Cai Qi

Emma Graham-Harrison

Emma Graham-Harrison

Cai Qi was the big surprise entry to the PSC. Although he had featured on some long-lists of potential candidates, the Beijing party secretary had not been widely tipped as a likely member.

His entry is another sign of how Xi values both loyalists and people he knew rising up through the ranks. Like Xi, he spent many years in Fujian province at the start of his career, and moved on to Zhejiang.

More recently he has been a prominent champion of the Zero Covid policy embraced by Xi, and successfully oversaw the 2022 winter Olympics.

Cai Qi
Cai Qi Photograph: Noel Celis/AFP/Getty Images

Xi ended his speech with an invitation to the world’s journalists to visit China.

It’s worth noting that conditions for journalists – both foreign and local – have diminished greatly under Xi’s rule. US journalists from major outlets were expelled in 2020.

Some quick reaction from China watchers:

Li as premier also confirms that we’re not seeing an end to zero-covid any time soon.

— James Palmer (@BeijingPalmer) October 23, 2022

That’s the conclusion of this press event and the week-long Party Congress has been concluded. #China is now into the third five-year rule under Xi Jinping, with the top leadership fully stacked with his loyalists. https://t.co/q7CTsjGN3i

— William Yang (@WilliamYang120) October 23, 2022

Xi appoints allies to the CPC standing committee

Xi Jinping has finished speaking.

Reuters reports that Shanghai Communist Party chief Li Qiang followed Xi onto the stage at the Great Hall of the People, meaning he is likely to succeed Li Keqiang as premier when he retires in March.

The other members of the seven man Standing Committee, China’s top governing body, are Zhao Leji and Wang Huning, who return from the previous committee, and newcomers Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang and Li Xi.

All are perceived to have close allegiance to Xi.

The speech is ongoing.

“China’s development can’t leave the world and the world’s development also needs China,” says Xi.

Xi says China has created the twin miracle of fast economic growth and long term social stability. These fundamentals will not change.

China will “open its door ever wider”, and will pursue “high quality development” he says, using a term which is being increasingly heard from Chinese officials no longer able to talk about China’s high speed growth which has dramatically slowed in recent months.

Xi is still speaking. He has said China must remain on high alert for challenges “like a student on never-ending exams”.

He says the party “can only become invincible if it is committed to self reform, even if it has had a glorious past.” He said the party is stronger and more dynamic because of its struggles and achievements in the last century.

Xi’s political thought now officially drives the party’s ideology – not just because he is the current leader but also after constitutional changes this week enshrined him as being at the “core” of the party.

Here is Xi Jinping (C) and other new members of the Communist Party of China’s Politburo Standing Committee:

China's President Xi Jinping (C) and other new members of the Communist Party of China's Politburo Standing Committee meet the media in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing
China’s President Xi Jinping (C) and other new members of the Communist Party of China’s Politburo Standing Committee meet the media in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing Photograph: Noel Celis/AFP/Getty Images

source: theguardian.com