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Xi Jinping tries to centralize his power in leadership

Posted October. 26, 2016 07:09,   

Updated October. 26, 2016 07:21

한국어
The Chinese communist party has maintained the collective leadership system over the past 36 years since China’s reform and opening. However, it has been reported that Chinese President Xi Jinping is seeking to cement his power in leadership by reshuffling the leadership structure at the sixth plenum of the 18th Communist Party of China's Central Committee opened on Monday. If more signs with regard to his approach to overhaul the leadership structure of China are revealed as the meeting of top officials continues, it will obviously create huge controversies not only in China but also in the global political arena.

The People's Daily, the official newspaper of China's ruling Communist Party, wrote a lengthy commentary on the front page of its Monday edition, saying, “Now is a time that China needs a new rule to strengthen the ‘core leadership’ in order to usher in a new era after the 11th Communist Party of China's Central Committee passed the intra-party supervision regulation.”

The regulation that the 11th Communist Party of China's Central Committee adopted in 1981 introduces a set of principles defining China’s seven-member Politburo Standing Committee, a collective leadership system through which the communist party has been operated. The motive of the regulation was to prevent a centralization of power after the upheaval during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) by an unchallenged Mao Zedong. Since then, the Politburo Standing Committee members have been at the center of China’s policy-making activities. Therefore, Xi’s approach to consolidate his power in leadership will send a clear signal that he is trying to reshuffle China’s leadership structure.

The sixth plenum of the 18th Communist Party of China's Central Committee will end on Thursday and this is the last plenum before the 19th Party Congress where members of the Politburo Standing Committee will be replaced. If China holds the retirement age of 68, five of the seven members are expected to step down. The one exception could be Wang Qishan, head of Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and Xi’s close ally, if the rule is waived for him. If he remains in the top political body, the age rule can also be waived for Xi, allowing him to seek a new term after 10 years in presidency.



베이징=구자룡특파원 bonhong@donga.com