China’s Plenary Session Reveals Xi Jinping’s Tenuous Hold on Power: Scholars

Chinese leader Xi Jinping (top C), Premier Li Keqiang (R), and NPC Chairman Li Zhanshu applaud during a speech at the second plenary session at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, on March 8, 2021. Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

The Chinese regime released the summary of its plenary session on the afternoon of Nov. 16, five days after the session ended, a near-week delay that is uncommon for the publication.

Scholars commented that ongoing struggles between factions within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) caused the delay. Though the Chinese regime is a one-party dictatorship headed by Xi Jinping, groups of senior officials and generals who are loyal to previous leaders are challenging his rule.