RESOLUTION PUTS XI ON PAR WITH MAO, DENG
Historic document paves way for the president’s third term, hailing his ‘theories and thoughts’ and listing triumphs such as HK crackdown
Xi Jinping has been hailed as the creator of a body of “theories and thoughts” in a historic Chinese Communist Party resolution, putting him on a par with Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping.
The resolution adopted yesterday sets the stage for next year’s leadership reshuffle and paves the way for a legacy-defining third term for the president.
A communique issued at the closure of the sixth plenum, a four-day gathering of the political elite, summarised the challenges and achievements of the party over the past 100 years. The lion’s share was devoted to highlighting the achievements made under Xi since his ascent to power in 2012.
These included the sweeping changes Beijing made to Hong Kong after the 2019 mass protests, which were listed as a major accomplishment along with wars on corruption and pollution.
And while it included all the political catchphrases of previous leaders – Mao, Deng, Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao – only Mao, Deng and Xi have bodies of thoughts bearing their names.
“Comrade Xi Jinping has many profound thoughts and scientific assessments about a series of significant theories and their implementation … and raised a series of original and new concepts and strategies on governing the nation. He is the major author of ‘Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era’,” it said.
The resolution adopted by the Central Committee was only the third such resolution in party history. Previous resolutions were passed at critical junctures in the party’s development and served as important focal points for Mao and Deng to forge consensus, settle disputes, and focus minds and energy on the party’s objectives.
The Central Committee also formally decided to hold the 20th National Party Congress in the second half of next year.
This event will herald wholesale changes at the top, although Xi is almost certain to remain as the paramount leader.
The communique’s portrayal of Xi’s achievements went beyond his political leadership and extended to the ideological front by presenting him as the architect of a series of “original theories and strategies” that direct the party to continue its rule and mission of building a socialist China.
It said his theories were a combination of the best of 21st-century Marxist-Leninist theory and Chinese culture and spirit, adding that upholding Xi’s thoughts as the guiding principles of the party and nation were crucial to the country’s rejuvenation.
The communique listed challenges China had faced since 2012 and how they were overcome. It described Xi as a great leader who could solve problems his predecessors could not.
“The party central with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core has solved many difficult unresolved issues [the party] has long desired to solve, and completed many important but unaccomplished tasks [it] had hoped to accomplish in the past,” it said.
Xi showed “enormous courage” and “strong responsibility” in overcoming challenges both internationally and domestically.
In an unusual move, Hong Kong was mentioned. The communique said the party had successfully “promoted the great shift from chaos to governance” by imposing a series of measures that ensured Hong Kong and Macau were governed by “patriots”.
The document did not elaborate, but Beijing has imposed a sweeping national security law in Hong Kong and changed the city’s election system in the wake of months of social unrest.
The communique also said the party firmly opposed Taiwan separatism and foreign intervention, and had taken the initiative in handling cross-strait relations.
It further stated that China’s diplomatic influence and soft power, as well as its ability to shape the world, had grown under Xi, adding that China had turned crisis into opportunity, although it did not elaborate.
Achievements listed included balancing economic growth and pandemic control, poverty alleviation, pushing forward technological self-reliance and modernising the military. “The ideological situation in our country has seen a fundamental shift across the board, the party and all ethnicities have much higher confidence and solidarity,” it said.