3 Takeaways From The CCP Congress Where Xi Jinping Tightened His Stranglehold On China

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) just concluded its 20th party congress. Out of close to 97 million party members, only about 2,300 were selected to attend this fanfare. The twice-a-decade event is an opportunity for the CCP to present its most senior leadership. The leadership composition, speeches, and an out-of-norm incident gave away clues about China’s next moves. Here are three important takeaways.

Comrade Xi to Emperor Xi

Communist China’s founder, Mao Zedong, remained the head of the party and the nation until he died in 1976. His successor Deng Xiaoping, determined to prevent a Mao-like dictator for life, instilled a new succession plan, which set a limit of two five-year terms for future party secretary and head of the state. The term limit for the head of the state was written into China’s constitution. 

Deng’s plan worked for two decades, until Xi Jinping came into power in 2012. Xi had no interest in being bound by rules and norms set by others. Through a sweeping anti-corruption campaign that is still ongoing after 10 years, Xi has purged rivals, eliminated potential challengers (real or imagined), and even put some of his closest allies on notice.

Xi placed himself in charge of almost every essential government body, which earned him the nickname “the chairman of everything.” Xi also stamped out any possibility of a military coup by reorganizing the People’s Liberation Army and installing his most trusted allies in key positions. In 2018, Xi eliminated the constitutional term limit for the head of the state and signaled that he intended to rule for life, as Mao and all ancient Chinese emperors did.  

The 20th party congress was seen as a coronation, marking comrade Xi’s end and emperor Xi’s beginning. Xi began the weeklong meeting by delivering a more than two-hour speech to defend his job performance in the last decade. In truth, under his watch, China’s economic growth has significantly slowed and human rights abuses have worsened — his genocidal policy against Uyghur Muslims has drawn international condemnation. Public opinion of China and Xi has deteriorated globally, mainly due to the poor handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and Xi’s aggressive foreign policy, including his militarization of the South China Sea. But according to Xi, his first decade’s rule was a success.

Xi concluded the party congress by presenting a new seven-person standing committee (the equivalent of a cabinet), which he staffed with officials whose best quality is their loyalty to him. He forced out Premier Li Keqiang, a potential rival. The most notable person Xi elevated to the committee is Li Qiang (no relation to Premier Li), currently the Communist Party secretary of Shanghai. Many people initially thought Li Qiang’s political career was over after his disastrous handling of Shanghai’s Covid lockdowns. Li Qiang’s elevation to China’s second-most-powerful position signals that loyalty, not competency, will be rewarded at emperor Xi’s court.

Additionally, Li Qiang’s promotion and Xi’s self-congratulatory speech indicate that emperor Xi plans to double down on his failed policies, including “zero Covid,” which

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