What To Expect from the Twentieth Congress of the Chinese Communist Party
Tony Saich’s best guesstimates on Xi’s chances of reappointment, how the party’s leadership structure will change, and what to look for in terms of future policy trends.
19th Party Congress, held in the Great Hall of the People, Beijing, on October 24, 2017. Credit: Andy Wong via AP Photos
On October 16, the China Communist Party (CCP) will convene its Twentieth Party Congress — a critical five-yearly event, though mostly for its symbolic function given that nothing will be seriously debated during its week-long passage. This year’s gathering of some 3,000 delegates in Beijing will be special in that it will likely see Xi Jinping confirmed for a third term as leader of the CCP. Delegates will also approve amendments to the party’s statutes and set in motion the appointment of a new CCP leadership by electing candidates to its Central Committee — although in reality, they will simply be approving a slate proposed by the outgoing Politburo and senior leadership.
Below, I provide my best guesstimates on Xi’s chances of reappointment, how the party’s leadership structure will change, and what to look for in terms of future policy trends.
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