Strange scene at the CP party congress in Beijing: ex-head of state Hu is led out of the hall Strange scene at the CP party congress in Beijing: ex-head of state Hu is led out of the hall

The Chinese Communist Party Congress has paved the way for Xi Jinping for a historic third term as party leader. By the end of Saturday’s party congress in Beijing, which only takes place every five years, about 2,300 delegates entrenched his ideology and permanent leadership role deep in the party constitution. Prime Minister Li Keqiang and Speaker of Parliament Li Zhanshu have resigned following a change of staff in the Central Committee. With the powerful Standing Committee, Xi Jinping will unveil his new leadership team with possible successors on Sunday.

Prime Minister Li Keqiang, 67, had already announced his intention to step down when the new government is formed at the annual session of the People’s Congress in March. However, there was speculation that he could still become head of parliament. Deputy Prime Minister Hu Chunhua could become the new head of government. The 59-year-old would then have to be promoted to the Politburo Standing Committee. Shanghai party leader Li Qiang (63) was also mentioned. But he is blamed for the chaos during the Covid lockdown in the port city.

Four members of the Standing Committee, which previously consisted of seven people, will step down because they are no longer part of the new Central Committee due to age. Leading ideologue Wang Huning (67) and the head of the powerful Disciplinary Commission, Zhao Leji (65), are likely to remain members of the inner circle. Xi Jinping was expected to appoint mainly followers such as his chief of staff Ding Xuexiang (60) to the body of power.

Former Head of State Hu Escorted From Saal

The carefully orchestrated week-long session was marred by an incident involving former leader Hu Jintao. The frail-looking 79-year-old was led off the podium in the Great Hall of the People by two stewards shortly before the constitutional changes were implemented, apparently against his will. Hu Jintao is not necessarily seen as a supporter of the party leader and his only rule.

Delegates called for the inclusion of various theoretical concepts in the Constitution. Among them are the “Two Establishments” (Liang ge queli), establishing Xi Jinping’s position of power at the core of the party and “Xi Jinping’s Ideas for Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in a New Era” as guidelines. Other slogans were also added, demanding loyalty, integrity, support for the leadership and adherence to the party line of the 96 million party members.

“The most important political innovation of this congress is not on paper: instead of making way for a younger successor after two terms as general secretary, Xi Jinping is posing as his own successor.”, said Katja Drinhausen of the Merics China Institute in Berlin. In his first decade in office, Xi Jinping formulated “great ambitions” for China and the Communist Party. “He has now substantiated this and paved the way for it to become a reality.”

The newly appointed Central Committee will hold its first plenary session on Sunday to confirm the reshuffle of the Politburo and its powerful Standing Committee. Xi Jinping will be confirmed as Secretary General and head of the Military Commission for an unusual third term. “He may find his third term in office the most difficult yet,” said Richard McGregor of Australia’s Lowy Institute. A possible successor is not in sight.

What was behind the incident with ex-president Hu Jintao remained unclear. He belongs to the Communist Youth League camp in the party, which was weakened by Xi Jinping. After two terms in office, Hu Jintao handed over the office of Secretary General to Xi Jinping in 2012. He represents the old “collective” model of governance with representatives of different factions and with age limits. This was to prevent a leader from becoming as powerful as the revolutionary Mao Tsetung, who had plunged the country into chaos. History should not repeat itself.

But Xi Jinping has done away with this institutionalization and created a personalized system where no one else can get too close, noted American political scientist Francis Fukuyama in “The Atlantic.” “The concentration of authority by one person has led to poor decision-making processes.” (sda/dpa)