China’s Communist Party to hold congress in October
China’s ruling Communist Party will hold its 20th twice-a-decade national congress from October 16.
The date was set during a monthly meeting of the Politburo, the decision-making body of the party
The congress typically lasts about a week and takes place mostly behind closed doors at the Great Hall of the People on the western side of Tiananmen Square in central Beijing.
The event will usher in the top leadership for the next five years with Xi Jinping poised to secure a historic third leadership term and cement his place as the country’s most powerful leader since Mao Zedong.
Party positions
Xi, 69, has steadily consolidated power since becoming party general secretary a decade ago, eliminating any known factional opposition to his rule.
He is expected to exert largely unchallenged control over key appointments and policy directives at a Congress that many China-watchers liken to a coronation.
A day after the Congress, Xi is expected again to be conferred the roles of General Secretary of the Communist Party and Chairman of the Central Military Commission.
With little change expected in broad policy direction, key outcomes from the Congress will revolve around personnel – who joins Xi on the Politburo Standing Committee (PSC) and who replaces Premier Li Keqiang, who is set to retire in March.
The makeup and size of the next PSC, now at seven members, will also be closely watched.
Two current members have reached the traditional retirement age, and China watchers will look for whether the inclusion of any new member reflects a need to accommodate alternative viewpoints.
After the congress, many in China and globally will watch for Beijing’s efforts to stave off a protracted economic downturn, which raises the chance of COVID curbs being eased.
A lack of widespread immunity among China’s 1.4 billion people and the absence of more effective mRNA vaccines remain constraints.
Also Read: China’s Communist Party celebrates 100th anniversary in show of pomp and power
Beijing’s strict “dynamic zero” COVID policy has led to frequent and disruptive lockdowns that have frustrated citizens, battered its economy, and made China a global outlier.
Investors will also watch how Beijing copes with souring relations with the West.
Since assuming power, Xi, the son of a communist revolutionary, has strengthened the party and its role across society and eliminated space for dissent.
Under Xi, China has also become far more assertive on the global stage as a leader of the developing world and an alternative to the U.S.-led, post-World War Two order.
“He will take China to an even more Sino-centric approach to policy, particularly foreign policy,” said Steve Tsang, director of the University of London’s SOAS China Institute.
“He will also reinforce the importance of the party leading everything in China, and the party following its leader fully,” Tsang said.
Xi’s likely ascendancy to a third five-year term, and possibly more, was set in 2018 when he eliminated the limit of two terms for the presidency, a position that is set to be renewed at the annual parliamentary meeting in March.
On Wednesday, the website of the party’s official People’s Daily posted an infographic highlighting Xi’s vision, including one of his signature pronouncements: “Party, government, military, people, education; east, south, west, north, central: the party leads everything.”
Zainab Sa’id
