A prominent economist has published an article in the party's mouthpiece that appears to defend keeping the number of members in China's top decision-making body at nine.
The article in the People's Daily comes amid speculation that the number of seats on the Politburo Standing Committee could be cut from nine to seven.
The nine-member committee was a 'collective presidential system' with Chinese characteristics, which suggests the nine leaders head eight leading state organs, wrote Hu Angang , director of Tsinghua University's Centre for China Studies, in the overseas edition of the Daily on Tuesday.
Hu did not specify the eight leading organs. However, under the current structure, standing committee members have portfolios that cover the party, government, the military, parliament, a government advisory body, party watchdogs, law enforcement and ideology.
'This system is far superior to the 'individual presidential system',' Hu wrote.
The front-page article follows widespread reports of a debate about the ideal number of members for the committee.