Xi Jinping’s Destined Battle Within the Party

A decorative plate featuring an image of Chinese leader Xi Jinping is seen behind a statue of late communist leader Mao Zedong at a souvenir store next to Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China, on Feb. 27, 2018. Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images

Commentary

Summer is when the annual conclave of top Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leaders takes place at the seaside resort of Beidaihe. The CCP’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its mouthpiece seem to work in sync to prepare for this unpublicized event and there’s much we can gain from seeing how they operate in advance of the meeting.