# Analysis-How China’s Xi accumulated power, and why it matters in a third term
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-10-10
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: Xi Jinping's Power Grab: A Deep Dive into China's
Meta Description: Learn how Xi Jinping's departure from collective leadership in China has consolidated power, stifling dissent and potentially leading to unintended
URL: https://financedigest.com/analysis-how-chinas-xi-accumulated-power-and-why-it-matters-in-a-third-termhtml

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By Yew Lun Tian

BEIJING (Reuters) – One of Xi Jinping’s first moves after winning China’s top job as general secretary of the Communist Party in 2012 was to reinstate regular “democratic life sessions” with fellow leaders in the 25-member Politburo, a staple of the Mao Zedong era.

Restoring the practice, which entails self-criticism in front of the general secretary, marked a small but symbolic example of how Xi has departed from China’s collective leadership of recent decades and accumulated power unseen since Mao’s time.

Xi, 69, is widely expected to break with precedent at the ruling Communist Party Congress that starts Oct. 16 and extend his decade-long leadership for another five years – or beyond – cementing the party’s [resurgence across all aspects of China](https://www.financedigest.com/618-shopping-festival-in-china-makes-a-resurgence.html "618 shopping festival in China makes a resurgence"), with Xi officially its “core.

While the exact make-up of the next Politburo Standing Committee will give clues as to just how much Xi has neutralised what is left of opposing factions, few party-watchers [expect significant](https://www.financedigest.com/thomson-reuters-report-reveals-risk-compliance-staff-expect-to-see-significant-benefits-from-artificial-intelligence-ai-and-distributed-ledger-technologies.html "Thomson Reuters Report Reveals Risk & Compliance Staff Expect to See Significant Benefits from Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Distributed Ledger Technologies") change in direction or approach.

Rather, Xi is set to maintain or [tighten his control](https://www.financedigest.com/indonesia-to-tighten-used-shoe-import-controls-after-reuters-report.html "Indonesia to tighten used shoe import controls after Reuters report"), analysts say, a concentration of power that has seen increasingly dogmatic policy implementation that risks unintended consequences as competing views and feedback are discouraged or quashed.

Critics point to [China’s persistence with policies despite](https://www.financedigest.com/bentley-cruises-to-record-sales-in-2022-despite-china-drop.html "Bentley cruises to record sales in 2022 despite China drop") blowback, whether on COVID, an abrasively aggressive diplomacy or stifling of the once-vibrant “platform” economy as evidence of the risks of increasingly authoritarian rule.

The irony, said former party insider Wu Guoguang, is that a leader who has gained power suppressing opposition inevitably feels insecure and is thus unwilling to share power or [change course](https://www.financedigest.com/cloud-computing-to-change-the-course-of-the-disposable-blood-bags-market.html "Cloud Computing to change the course of the Disposable Blood Bags Market").

Xi would fear that any self-correction could be used by potential enemies to topple him,” said Wu, who is now a senior [researcher at California’s Stanford University](https://www.financedigest.com/bitcoin-nonprofit-bitgive-announces-research-collaboration-with-university-of-edinburgh.html "Bitcoin Nonprofit BitGive Announces Research Collaboration with University of Edinburgh").

While some party-watchers said China may [tweak some policies](https://www.financedigest.com/yen-retreats-after-boj-policy-tweak-sparked-surge.html "Yen retreats after BOJ policy tweak sparked surge") following the Congress – “adjusting with the times”, in party-speak – they expect Beijing to maintain its broad direction in the coming years under Xi.

Xi has had a very difficult time [changing course](https://www.financedigest.com/cloud-computing-to-change-the-course-of-the-pharmacokinetics-market.html "Cloud Computing to change the course of the Pharmacokinetics Market"). This is a weakness,” said Ashley Esarey, a political scientist at the University of Alberta.

The expected absence of a clear successor will also enable Xi to rule unchallenged but potentially ratchets up [risk the longer he stays](https://www.financedigest.com/staying-ahead-of-risk-this-black-friday.html "Staying Ahead of Risk This Black Friday") in power.

Arguably, Xi’s reluctance to empower a younger successor and moves to [break norms of collective leadership have also made China](https://www.financedigest.com/analysis-no-china-no-deal-bid-to-break-sovereign-debt-logjams-gets-weary-thumbs-up.html "Analysis-No China, no deal: Bid to break sovereign debt logjams gets weary thumbs up") less resilient as the country sails into an increasingly uncertain future,” Esarey said.

REJUVENATION AND HEADWINDS

Xi’s power consolidation appears to be unimpeded by challenges that have coalesced in a chaotic year, from a stumbling [economy to an increasingly out of step](https://www.financedigest.com/china-steps-up-easing-cuts-lending-benchmarks-to-revive-faltering-economy.html "China steps up easing, cuts lending benchmarks to revive faltering economy") zero-COVID policy and support for Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

In his decade at the helm, Xi has prioritised security, expansion of the state’s economic role, a strengthening military, a more assertive [foreign policy](https://www.financedigest.com/ancs-failed-foreign-policy-hurting-south-africa.html "ANC’s failed foreign policy hurting South Africa") and intensifying pressure to seize Taiwan.

When elders picked Xi to be leader, the son of a Communist Party revolutionary was [considered a safe choice to put the party first and refresh an institution](https://www.financedigest.com/institutions-need-to-consider-spreadsheet-management-to-meet-the-pras-latest-stress-testingexpectations.html "Institutions Need to Consider Spreadsheet Management to Meet the PRA’s Latest Stress Testing Expectations") that had grown sclerotic with corruption and less relevant in a liberalising economy.

Xi’s elevation to the Politburo Standing Committee in 2007 fuelled hopes among liberals and western governments that he may be a reformer. After all, his father had helped then-leader Deng Xiaoping to implement [China’s landmark reform and opening](https://www.financedigest.com/asia-shares-bank-on-eventual-china-opening-oil-gains.html "Asia shares bank on eventual China opening; oil gains") up when he was Guangdong province party secretary.

RISE OF THE AUTHORITARIAN

But Xi took his party-saving mandate seriously, [putting the party squarely back](https://www.financedigest.com/putting-the-human-touch-back-into-banking-magazine.html "“Putting the human touch back into banking”-Magazine") into the centre of life in China, and himself at the centre of the party.

In the name of fighting corruption and [restoring public](https://www.financedigest.com/public-restore-uk-heritage-sites-oaksmoreisa.html "The Public Restore UK Heritage Sites With The Oaksmoreisa") faith in the party, 4.7 million officials had been investigated under Xi as of April 2022. Many were purged, including rivals for power like the popular [former Chongqing party chief](https://www.financedigest.com/peter-warrack-former-director-of-aml-fintech-advisory-and-compliance-officer-at-the-bank-of-montreal-joins-bitfinex-as-chief-compliance-officer-cco.html "Peter Warrack, Former Director of AML (Fintech Advisory) and Compliance Officer at the Bank of Montreal, joins Bitfinex as Chief Compliance Officer (CCO)") Bo Xilai. Such moves had the benefit of rooting out [political enemies and promoting his own people into newly vacant jobs – while winning public support](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-financial-watchdog-urges-political-support-for-crypto-bans.html "UK financial watchdog urges political support for crypto bans").

Xi also oversaw a crushing of dissent and forbade “disrespectful” [discussion about the party among members](https://www.financedigest.com/why-now-is-the-time-to-implement-a-time-saving-business-model-encouraging-team-members-to-discuss-their-challenges.html "Why now is the time to implement a time saving business model, encouraging team members to discuss their challenges"). All comments critical of Xi were scrubbed from the internet.

In 2016 he made himself the “core” of the party and in 2018 he ditched the two-term limit on the presidency, [clearing the way to rule](https://www.financedigest.com/crypto-firms-will-develop-offshore-without-clear-us-rules-coinbase-chief-says.html "Crypto firms will develop ‘offshore’ without clear US rules, Coinbase chief says") for life.

BIG COUNTRY, BIG BOSS…

Official scholars argue a country as [big and diverse as China](https://www.financedigest.com/olympics-freestyle-skiing-gu-lands-big-air-gold-china-moves-to-top-of-medals-table.html "Olympics-Freestyle skiing-Gu lands Big Air gold, China moves to top of medals table") requires a strong central authority, and strong leader, to get things done and prevent chaos.

They point to China’s success at poverty alleviation, its efficiency at building infrastructure and [organising events](https://www.financedigest.com/6-steps-to-organising-an-introvert-friendly-networking-event.html "6 Steps to organising an introvert-friendly networking event ") such as this year’s Beijing Winter Olympics, and the effectiveness at extinguishing COVID outbreaks.

Part of the story is that when he came to power many within the CCP hoped for a stronger response to the increasingly severe [challenges it faced,”](https://www.financedigest.com/under-saved-and-underprepared-women-face-challenges-saving-for-retirement.html "UNDER-SAVED AND UNDERPREPARED: WOMEN FACE CHALLENGES SAVING FOR RETIREMENT") said Joseph Torigian, an assistant professor at American University and expert on authoritarian politics.

He said while the party is not incapable of course correction, many people at the top are products of the same [system as Xi and it is likely that they share](https://www.financedigest.com/energy-utilities-sector-to-hold-60-share-in-switchgear-monitoring-system-market-by-2031.html "Energy & Utilities Sector To Hold 60% Share In Switchgear Monitoring System Market By 2031") similar views.

Dali Yang, professor of Chinese politics at the University of Chicago, said while Xi is [inclined towards](https://www.financedigest.com/the-cellular-imaging-market-to-show-an-inclination-towards-digitized-innovation.html "The Cellular Imaging Market to show an inclination towards digitized innovation") wielding autocratic power he may feel compelled to be more compromising in a third term, especially given a growing backlash to zero-COVID policies.

Before the latest [COVID outbreak](https://www.financedigest.com/n-korea-reports-first-covid-outbreak-orders-lockdown-in-gravest-emergency.html "N.Korea reports first COVID outbreak, orders lockdown in “gravest emergency”"), even when his policies inflicted pain, people largely supported them. Today, with the economy in doldrums, and with the country stuck in zero-COVID, he may have to be more open to different ideas,” he said.

(Reporting by Yew Lun Tian; Editing by Tony Munroe and Lincoln Feast)


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