As the leader enters his third term, there are increasing signs that the country is turning inwards, replacing the outside world with cyber 'reality'
Being virtually connected to the world can provide rich data in the abstract, but lived experience matters, too, and there is a tone-deafness to much of China’s recent international forays. It mirrors precisely the idea of being highly connected to the world while closed to it physically. But the zero-Covid policy is very much associated with Xi personally and his speech made it clear that there is no prospect of it changing in the short term at least. The Ming dynasty analogy tweeted out in August is not a simple one. Diplomacy, academic links and trade can’t really function if one of the partners is only rarely willing to step into the wider world. The decision is not entirely political: part of the problem is that China continues to have a huge proportion of unvaccinated older people and its patchily effective domestic vaccines do not prevent infection or transmission very well. But the quick in and out visits that global entrepreneurs regularly take to other countries are no longer possible and over time this may well affect China’s international competitiveness as it seeks to attract talent and finance in areas such as tech. The piece, published in a respected but specialist journal, argued that during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) and Qing dynasty (1644-1911), China had been a country relatively closed off to the outside world. Nobody stopped visitors from observing democracy in all its guises in the liberal world, but they understood that open discussion of the concept stopped when they arrived back at Beijing airport. But travel in and out of China, for foreigners and Chinese alike, has become much harder. And attention at the end of the Congress has been on the sudden, still unexplained But there are other signs that the China of the 2020s may be considerably less open than the one we have known for some four decades from the 1980s to 2020.
The 69-year-old has secured a third term as general secretary of the ruling Communist Party.
2017: China launches a harsh crackdown on the Uighur and other predominantly Muslim ethnic groups in the Xinjiang region after extremist attacks. This symbolically elevates him to Mao’s level as a leader whose ideology is identified by his name. 2002: Mr Xi is transferred to neighbouring Zhejiang province, where he is appointed party chief, a post that outranks governor in the Chinese system. 1982-85: Mr Xi is assigned as deputy and then leader of the Communist Party in Zhengding county, south of Beijing in Hebei province. – June 15 1953: Xi Jinping was born in Beijing, the son of Xi Zhongxun, a senior Communist Party official and former guerrilla commander in the civil war that brought the communists to power in 1949. Chinese President Xi Jinping has secured a third term as general secretary of the ruling Communist Party, paving the way for him to remain in power for at least five more years — and possibly longer.
The congress in Beijing also approved an amendment to the constitution that Xi said “sets out clear requirements for upholding and strengthening the party's ...
Wang Huning, the party’s chief of ideology, stayed on the committee. Li Qiang, a former Shanghai party secretary, has been appointed as Xi’s number two. The congress in Beijing also approved an amendment to the constitution that Xi said "sets out clear requirements for upholding and strengthening the party’s leadership".
Comparing Xi Jinping to Mao Zedong is "inane", scoffs Rebecca Karl, a professor of Chinese History at New York University.
"China today has no socialist characteristics" she says "The subordination of labour to capital is complete. It's hard to deny that millions of Chinese hold Xi personally responsible for the cruelty of China's grim lockdowns. "Everything and everybody got a cut, but it got out of control," he adds. As I prepared to leave China in 2008, the Soviet-era airport had given way to a glittering megastructure designed by Norman Foster. In 1992, Deng - who had remained China's "paramount leader" - declared that the party should allow "some people to get rich first". The word on everyone's lips was "xia hai" or "dive into the sea". By the time I returned in 1998 the whole country had taken to heart Deng's invocation "to get rich is glorious". "My first introduction to China was in the 1980s, when the debates about China's future were huge, significant, and consequential," Prof Karl says. He ran the Communist Party - and the country - from the republic's founding in 1949 until the day he died in 1976. Hardliners, led by Premier Li Peng, believed the students' goal was to overthrow the party, and wanted the protests quashed. The truth is Xi's path to power was far from inevitable. He is known, only half-jokingly, as the Chairman of Everything.
Xi's re-election cements his position as the most powerful leader since Communist Party founder Mao Zedong. BEIJING, CHINA - OCTOBER 23: Chinese President ...
Since then, China has taken a careful line, criticising Western sanctions against Russia but stopping short of endorsing or assisting in the military campaign. [ human rights abuses in Xinjiang](https://inews.co.uk/opinion/comment/uighur-muslims-women-china-torture-rods-separated-children-1091474?ico=in-line_link) against the Uighur Muslims and of the curtailing of democratic freedoms [Hong Kong.](https://inews.co.uk/news/world/hong-kong-conviction-under-national-security-law-is-sign-of-things-to-come-for-pro-democracy-campaigners-1123753?ico=in-line_link) Six of Xi’s proteges and allies were also unveiled on Sunday alongside him as members of the Politburo Standing Committee – China’s equivalent of the presidential cabinet. [Xi and Putin signed a “no limits” partnership agreement in February](https://inews.co.uk/opinion/china-russia-marriage-convenience-more-strained-putin-offers-begging-bowl-1857642?ico=in-line_link), three weeks before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. [Xi Jinping claimed a historic third term as China’s leader ](https://inews.co.uk/news/analysis/chinas-leader-xi-jinping-is-a-mafia-don-at-war-with-rivals-and-a-threat-to-world-top-dissident-warns-1841724?ico=in-line_link)on Sunday and filled his inner circle with close allies, securing his control over the ruling Communist Party after a decade in power. “The results of the Party Congress fully confirm your high political authority, as well as the unity of the party you lead,” Putin told Xi, according to the Kremlin’s website.
The lineup reveals the extent of Mr. Xi's control over the Chinese Community Party. He was selected for a third term as leader, breaking with recent norms.
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Chinese leader Xi Jinping has formally stepped into his third term ruling China with an iron grip on power, as he revealed a top leadership body stacked ...
“The current situation is something unprecedented … we’re seeing a kind of re-centralised bureaucracy in China, which will definitely impact the future China’s economic foreign policy trajectory,” he said. Instead, Xi had filled the four open spots on the seven-member body with Xi long-time allies and proteges, Li Qiang, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang and Li Xi, clearing the path for him to rule for a third term with minimal internal resistance – and underlining that affinity to Xi trumps all else in China’s current political landscape.
Li Qiang becomes the party's second-highest ranking official after presiding over disruptive Covid lockdowns.
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China's president doubles down on ruling for life, excluding potential future leaders or factional rivals.
Xi’s commitment to annex and “re-educate” Taiwan were this week enshrined in the party constitution. Hu was escorted from the stage at the closing of the party congress on Saturday, apparently reluctantly, in an episode that sealed Xi’s pre-eminence. Hu Chunhua had been tipped as a prospective new PSC member, but Xi found no place for the 59-year-old who was perceived by some analysts as a potential threat to the leader. “Xi has reiterated several times that the performance indicators that matters above all in Xi’s new era is political loyalty,” said Sung. A decade of political purges, increased surveillance and tightened social control has resulted in the 69-year-old leader consolidating personal power to a level not seen since Mao Zedong. For the first time in 25 years there was no woman on the politburo; there has never been a woman on the highest seat of power the politburo standing committee.
Xi Jinping is now China's most powerful leader since Mao Zedong in 1970s.
Other members of the new Politburo include anti-corruption chief Mr Zhao, who has served as a key enforcer in Mr Xi’s efforts to tighten his control over party members. Political theorist Wang Huning also keeps a seat in the seven-member panel, and has moved up from the fifth spot to fourth. He was seen sharing words with both Mr Xi and Mr Li on his way out. He was close to China’s previous president [Terms of use,](https://www.independent.co.uk/service/user-policies-a6184151.html) [Cookie policy](https://www.independent.co.uk/service/cookie-policy-a6184186.html) and [Privacy notice.](https://www.independent.co.uk/service/privacy-policy-a6184181.html) The North Korean leader also welcomed the continuation of Mr Xi’s presidency, and sent “warmest congratulations” to his east Asian ally. “Please accept my warmest congratulations to you upon the glad news that ... Mr Putin said he looked forward to further developing a “comprehensive partnership” between Moscow and Beijing. [Privacy policy](https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en) and [Terms of service](https://policies.google.com/terms?hl=en) apply. Mr Xi announced that Li Qiang, a former Shanghai party secretary who is no relation to Li Keqiang, was now the No 2 member, and that Zhao Leji, a member of the previous committee, had been promoted to No 3. “The results of the Party Congress fully confirm your high political authority, as well as the unity of the party you lead,” Mr Putin told his Chinese counterpart, according to the Kremlin’s website. [Xi Jinping](/topic/xi-jinping) has returned to power for a third term as [China](/topic/china)’s president and leader of its [Communist Party](/topic/communist-party), in an unprecedented but widely expected development following the week-long party congress in [Beijing](/topic/beijing).
Having ruled China for 10 years already, Mr Xi will now stay on for at least five more years, and in theory he could make himself leader for life.
There also was no obvious successor in the standing committee line-up. He has purged rivals and stifled dissent. His leadership of the procession served as the confirmation he will remain as the general secretary of the party. All have worked closely with him at various points in his career and are likely considered highly trusted. Two figures in particular, Li Keqiang and Wang Yang, are notable in their demotion from the standing committee. All four are men considered to be within Mr Xi's inner circle.
CHINESE President Xi Jinping was elected to serve a third term as general secretary of the ruling Communist Party as its 20th congress closed at the weekend ...
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President Xi has consolidated his power and will be emboldened to push through an even more aggressive, single-minded socialist agenda at home, and abroad.
It is clear Xi will be firmly pitched against the West in an ideological battle. In other cities where the country’s zero Covid policies have been implemented so disastrously it has led to sackings and resignations. Which is at least in five, if not 10 years time. By installing his close ally in this high-profile position, President Xi has shown how he can now act unchallenged. There was no such move from Xi Jinping today. Four out of six of the standing committee ended up being new appointments.
Comparing Xi Jinping to Mao Zedong is "inane", scoffs Rebecca Karl, a professor of Chinese History at New York University.
"China today has no socialist characteristics" she says "The subordination of labour to capital is complete. It's hard to deny that millions of Chinese hold Xi personally responsible for the cruelty of China's grim lockdowns. "Everything and everybody got a cut, but it got out of control," he adds. As I prepared to leave China in 2008, the Soviet-era airport had given way to a glittering megastructure designed by Norman Foster. In 1992, Deng - who had remained China's "paramount leader" - declared that the party should allow "some people to get rich first". The word on everyone's lips was "xia hai" or "dive into the sea". By the time I returned in 1998 the whole country had taken to heart Deng's invocation "to get rich is glorious". "My first introduction to China was in the 1980s, when the debates about China's future were huge, significant, and consequential," Prof Karl says. He ran the Communist Party - and the country - from the republic's founding in 1949 until the day he died in 1976. Hardliners, led by Premier Li Peng, believed the students' goal was to overthrow the party, and wanted the protests quashed. The truth is Xi's path to power was far from inevitable. He is known, only half-jokingly, as the Chairman of Everything.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has secured a third term as general secretary of the ruling Communist Party, paving the way for him to remain in power for at least five more years — and possibly longer. Here are the key events in Mr Xi's life:.
2017: China launches a harsh crackdown on the Uighur and other predominantly Muslim ethnic groups in the Xinjiang region after extremist attacks. This symbolically elevates him to Mao’s level as a leader whose ideology is identified by his name. 2002: Mr Xi is transferred to neighbouring Zhejiang province, where he is appointed party chief, a post that outranks governor in the Chinese system. 1982-85: Mr Xi is assigned as deputy and then leader of the Communist Party in Zhengding county, south of Beijing in Hebei province. – June 15 1953: Xi Jinping was born in Beijing, the son of Xi Zhongxun, a senior Communist Party official and former guerrilla commander in the civil war that brought the communists to power in 1949. Chinese President Xi Jinping has secured a third term as general secretary of the ruling Communist Party, paving the way for him to remain in power for at least five more years — and possibly longer.
The recently concluded Chinese Communist Party also reflects what may turn out to be a flawed strategy of Chinese leader Xi Jinping putting himself at the ...
Xi's biggest risk—and his greatest weakness as a strategist—is that he has put himself on the firing line. He gutted many of Mao's policies and set in motion economic reforms that turned China into the economic juggernaut that it is today. But this is hardly the destruction of an ancient system of checks and balances. As for the economy, the government line is that the current slowdown is due to the Covid lockdowns and a global slowdown. The question now is if Xi can manage expectations that he is creating for some sort of reunification in the near to medium term. He has yet to create the conditions necessary for China to become a high-income country. And he began a military modernization that is bearing fruit today in the form of aircraft carriers and other advanced hardware. The 63-year-old obtained the post despite his presiding over a long Covid lockdown in Shanghai, but this might have worked in his favor, showing him to be a loyal follower of Xi's approach. He also managed to sideline several officials not thought to be close to him, including the outgoing premier, Li Keqiang, and the former governor of Guangdong Wang Yang. The congress itself had ended Saturday but this moment is the apogee of high drama in China's political system. But the past week's events also reflect what may turn out to be a flawed strategy of Xi putting himself at the center of everything—making him seem strong while actually vulnerable. All of this is being hailed as Xi running the tables, with many analysts calling him China's strongest leader since Mao Zedong, who ran China from 1949 to 1976.