With his third term secured, Xi Jinping must now address zero-Covid’s impact on the economy, jobs and social stability, some analysts believe.
New Central Military Commission line-up gives clues on the People’s Liberation Army’s priorities in the next five years.
As the sun sets on Li Keqiang’s tenure, experts chime in on the achievements of China’s premier, and speculate on what could have been.
President Xi Jinping outlined how China will keep ‘income distribution and the means of accumulating wealth well-regulated’ at the 20th party congress, triggering fresh worries among the wealthy and upper middle-class.
Efforts to interpret Xi Jinping’s priorities focus on three main areas: foreign and military policy, party politics and economics.
Experts say ethnic minority representation in the senior leadership will continue to weaken as Beijing places more focus on integration in one national identity.
From its zero-Covid policy and heavy-handed regulations to deteriorating international relations in a weakened global environment, China faces a ‘storm’ like it’s never seen.
The party mouthpiece People’s Daily published its third straight commentary praising the approach, further hitting hopes restrictions might start to ease soon.
Most civil servants recruited by the central government are now women, but they face a tortuous path if they hope to make it to the top.
Those with business or tech backgrounds, regional leadership experience and connections to Xi most likely to be promoted, observers say.
Party congress expected to celebrate last year’s declared success in lifting lowest incomes and turn focus to 2049 goal.
The Politburo Standing Committee is the party’s top decision-making body, but there are no written rules on how many members it can have. Analysts say its size is unlikely to change since Xi has cemented his power.
Xi Jinping is on course to become party leader for a third term – the first to do so since the death of Mao Zedong in 1976 – but 11 of the 24 other Politburo members are likely to retire.
Vice-Premier Liu He is the president’s right-hand man for economic affairs, but some analysts say China’s economic tsar will have to navigate rougher waters as Xi Jinping grips the helm tight.
Since taking office in 2013, Xi Jinping has stamped his mark on the economy like few of China’s leaders before him. But some analysts say important reform has taken a back seat.
China’s two most influential diplomats, both above retirement age, are set to leave important vacancies to fill.