Behind Xi Jinping Is A Divided Communist Party and Unengaged Officials

It’s hard to tell what worries Chinese Communist regime leader Xi Jinping the most—the U.S. trade war in front of him, a divided cabinet, or a whole country of corrupt, self-serving and unfaithful communist officials.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping delivers a speech at The Great Hall of The People in Beijing on April 30, 2019. Andrea Verdelli/Getty Images

News Analysis

It’s hard to tell what worries Chinese Communist regime leader Xi Jinping the most—the U.S. trade war in front of him, a divided cabinet, or a whole country of corrupt, self-serving and unfaithful communist officials.

Divided at the Top

While the trade war has exposed China’s many vulnerabilities and scandals to the entire world, behind closed curtains Xi is struggling with what may end up being more devastating than any external challenge: his immediate inner circle is turning against him.