All the president's men: Xi Jinping tells Communist Party's top echelon to unite behind him in thought and action
President’s address to Politburo Standing Committee part of an effort to bolster his authority, analysts say
In a rare move, the Communist Party has issued a clear-cut formal statement detailing party chief Xi Jinping’s rallying call for the Politburo Standing Committee to unite behind him in “thought and action”.
The call came just two weeks after Xi raised eyebrows by calling on the Politburo as a whole to align with the central leadership of the party, a phrase analysts interpreted as referring to Xi.
In a meeting with the seven-strong Standing Committee, the pinnacle of the party’s power, Xi said party leaders should have the political awareness to safeguard the authority of the party.
“[They should] be aligned with the central leadership of the party led by Xi in actions and thoughts,” according to a statement released by Xinhua late Thursday.
There is an unwritten rule that the so-called four departments of government – the party, the government, the legislature and political consultative body – are led by different Politburo Standing Committee members.
Premier Li Keqiang, for example, is in charge of the State Council, Zhang Dejiang heads the National People’s Congress and Yu Zhengsheng heads the top advisory body.
READ MORE: China’s President Xi Jinping calls on Politburo to follow his lead
Some analysts said the two calls appeared to be a concerted effort by Xi to secure the political loyalty of his colleagues both in the 25-strong Politburo and the smaller innermost Standing Committee. Analysts said it was very rare for the party to release a formal statement after a Politburo Standing Committee meeting.
“Standing Committee meetings are usually reported very briefly, or not reported at all,” said Chen Daoyin, an associate professor at Shanghai University of Political Science and Law.
Chen said the departure from protocol was an attempt by Xi to underscore the authority of the party and himself.
The anti-graft campaign is close to an end and he is starting to establish a new order
“The anti-graft campaign is close to an end and he is starting to establish a new order,” he said.
“Xi needs more authority as the party shifts its focus to economic development.”
Analysts said Xi also sought to rally his top aides through what was expected to be a challenging and decisive year for the party chief. Xi would have to finish the controversial military overhaul, tackle the economic downturn and also come to grips with intense power struggles ahead of next year’s 19th party congress, when there was expected to be another reshuffle of the Politburo Standing Committee, they said.
READ MORE: Xi’s ‘shockingly harsh’ Politburo speech signals tensions over anti-graft crackdown
“2016 could be the most difficult year for him … The slide in the economy could jeopardise the legitimacy of the party,”Beijing-based political commentator Zhang Lifan said. “He also needs to form his own top echelon for the 19th party congress.”
A rare citation of late chairman Mao Zedong in the Xinhua statement also raised eyebrows. “The party, the government, the army, the people, academics, east, west, south, north, centre. The party leads everything,” it said.
Chen said Xi was reversing the attempts to separate the party and the state since the era of late leader Deng Xiaoping.
“The party has absorbed the state … The Politburo Standing Committee meeting is a declaration of the new trend,” he said.
