On Sunday, the party congress of the communists, who also determine the government, starts in Beijing. This time the tension is greater than usual. The big question is how much power the incumbent Secretary General Xi Jinping (69) will get. Everything indicates that he will become the sole ruler in the long term. A development that is being followed with care in the West. Blick answers the most important questions.
What happens at the party conference?
The party congress takes place every five years and lasts about a week. The party congress will discuss the composition of the approximately 200-strong central committee, the report of the party chairman and changes to the party statutes. The members of the Politburo, the Party Secretariat, the members of the Military Commission, etc. are elected at the first plenary meeting of the new Central Committee immediately following.
At the second plenary session in February 2023, nominations for state posts will also be discussed, for example for the National People’s Congress. The leaders of the state will then be formally appointed at the National People’s Congress in the spring of 2023.
How democratic is the process?
According to the Chinese view, the procedure is democratic. About 2,300 delegates represent 97 million party members from all regions and ethnic groups. However, the deputies and posts of Xi Jinping and his staff are predetermined. The assembled public has little choice but to chase everything away.
Will Xi Jinping become a lifelong ruler?
Secretary-General Xi Jinping wants to be confirmed as party leader after ten years. He is likely to be elected president for a third term in the spring. To this end, he has already had the constitution amended, which previously only provided for two terms in office. The purpose of the restriction was to prevent a concentration of power such as under the long-standing dictator and founder of the People’s Republic Mao Zedong (1893-1976). It is believed that Xi, like Mao, aspires to rule for life.
What has Xi Jinping achieved?
He strengthened the party’s position and adapted the country accordingly. He fought against corruption, but also against his political opponents. Surveillance and control have been stepped up, the media has been censored and hundreds of thousands of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities have been placed in re-education camps. He also had the army modernized and expanded.
Are there women in the party leadership?
It is true that equality plays an important role in the party constitution. However, at party conferences, usually only about a quarter of the delegates are women. Only a few have made it to the Politburo – none in the standing committee, the highest power circle.
What are China’s major problems?
The rapid economic growth of recent years is over. The real estate market is in a deep crisis, the yuan has recently hit an all-time low, the zero-interest policy has brought economic activity to a halt and the country’s zero-covid policy has left deep marks. The former one-child policy led to an aging population. Youth unemployment is at a record high of almost 20 percent. However, these points are not discussed at the party congress.
Why is the West so excited about Beijing?
The party congress will show how strong Xi Jinping’s support is. Should Xi be able to lift his faithful companions to top positions, it would mean Xi can do whatever he pleases. Its power would only increase, widening the gap between the world’s second largest economy and the West. The power would be slightly greater if individuals not directly associated with the Xi camp stood up.
In addition, the report presented by party chairman Xi Jinping at the party congress will give a glimpse of the direction for the next five years.