As China plenum opens, party paper says ‘core’ leadership is needed
400 top China Communist Party members gather to discuss changes to structure
Beijing, Oct. 24: China’s ruling Communist Party needs rules that strengthen the “leadership core”, the party’s official newspaper said on Monday hinting at further centralisation of power for President Xi Jinping after decadesof collective leadership.
The party has already announced that the rules on intra-party political life would be discussed during its four-day plenum, which started on Monday.
Nearly, 400 top members of the world’s most powerful political party have gathered at the exclusive Jingxi Hotel to discuss changes to party structure and management.
The rules were introduced in 1980 to prevent any personality cult after Chairman Mao Zedong’s rule plunged the country into anarchy during the 1966-1976 Cultural Revolution.
In a lengthy front-page commentary, the official People’s Daily said that since 1980, the rules had ensured the party’s internal political life had “returned to normal” and helped usher in three decades of economic boom. Now 36 years on, the plenum of the party’s top leaders will set new rules, it said. This will “forge an
The party rules were introduced in 1980 to prevent any personality cult after Chairman Mao Zedong’s rule plunged the country into anarchy
Policies will seek to address “problems”, compel senior leaders to be a good example for lesser officials, said Xinhua
even stronger, energetic leadership core, ready and waiting to guide China at its new starting point”. However, the newspaper did not say exactly how the rules would change.
Late paramount leader Deng Xiaoping coined the phrase “core” leader to refer to Mao as Communist China’s first generation leader, himself as second generation and Jiang Zemin as third generation, meaning they have almost absolute authority andshould not be questioned.
But Mr Xi has yet to assume that mantle. Since assuming office almost four years ago, Mr Xi has rapidly consolidated power, including heading a group leading economic reform and appointing himself commander-in-chief of the military, though as head of the Central Military Commission he already controls the armed forces.
The paper said whenever the party’s internal political life was “abnormal”, crises and chaos erupted, pointing to the Cultural Revolution as well as the 1958 Great Leap Forward campaign when millions died of starvation from 1959 to 1961 in a disastrous attempt at rapid industrialisation.
The plenum will be conducted in strict secrecy and once it ends on Thursday, the official Xinhua news agency will issue a wordy communique on what it has achieved. New policies will seek to address “outstanding problems” and compel senior leaders to be a good example for lesser officials, said Xinhua.
“This year’s plenum on party-building is key to Mr Xi’s political project, and could very well turn out to be the most important of his first term,” said Trey McArver, China analyst at Trusted Sources.