Chinese Communist Party newspaper warns against retired officials exerting political influence behind scenes

A signed commentary in the official Communist Party newspaper People’s Daily has criticised retired officials who continue to exert their influence in government departments.

The article comes as serving and retired state leaders gather at the Hebei resort of Beidaihe for an informal meeting, where they will set the policy tone for the coming year.

The event is also an occasion during which retired leaders can extend their influence.

The commentary did not specify which former leaders were continuing to wield influence, but observers said it indicated the top party leadership want to minimise the impact cast by retired officials.

Some retired officials were using their influence with former subordinates to intervene in crucial decisions long after they had retired, the commentary said.

“They not only installed their associates to create conditions for them to exert influence in future, … but are also not willing to keep their hands off major issues of the organisation they previously worked for even many years after stepping down,” it said.

When decisions were made against their wishes, they would accuse serving officials of being superior and aloof, the article said, adding that such lingering influence put their successors in an awkward position and weakened party cohesion.

The mainland’s opaque political system has long allowed retired leaders to continue to wield significant power,  which the leadership found displeasing, said Beijing-based political observer Zhang Lifan.

“The message is that the retired elders should stop interfering,” he said, adding that the leadership was aware of challenges to their authority amid the forming of political factions with the support of former leaders.

“The current leadership is facing a lot of resistance, and now it wants to put a stop on retired people pointing fingers.”

The People’s Daily commentary was published days after state-owned magazine Economy and Nation Weekly, under Xinhua, claimed that party leaders were in Beidaihe mainly to visit experts and model workers on holiday there. It said many policy issues had been settled prior to the gathering.

A retired professor of the Central Party School said the Beidaihe summit was not necessary as President Xi Jinping’s  consolidated power gave him final say in important issues.

Beijing Institute of Technology economics professor Hu Xingdou  said the commentary indicated that “party elders intervening in administration” was coming to an end.

Nanjing University political philosophy professor Gu Su  said the delicately written commentary was referring to both local officials and the central leadership.