Ahead of Major Political Meeting, a Question Looms Large: Will Chinese Leader Xi Appoint a Successor?
The Chinese Communist Party's Politburo Standing Committee, the nation's top decision-making body (L-R): Han Zheng, Wang Huning, Li Zhanshu, Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, and Zhao Leji meet the press at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Oct. 25, 2017. Wang Zhao/AFP via Getty Images
Infighting runs throughout the history of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). But the infighting seen in today’s CCP is fundamentally different from that of the past, as the Party sees that its worst nightmare—its demise—has become a tangible reality. The CCP needs a strong “core leader” and a method of securing a successor. Should a fight break out over the transfer of power, a worsening political crisis could accelerate the Party’s death.
Wang He
Author
Wang He has master’s degrees in law and history, and has studied the international communist movement. He was a university lecturer and an executive of a large private firm in China. Wang now lives in North America and has published commentaries on China’s current affairs and politics since 2017.
