Xi expected to chase a further 5-year term

CHINA: Speculation that Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, is looking to extend his rule beyond the conventional 10-year period is growing as Communist Party chiefs attended a key meeting that started yesterday.

Almost 400 senior officials are attending the four-day Beijing conference purportedly to discuss ideology and long-term policy objectives.

But behind the dry, political rhetoric that state media will be reporting throughout the week, analysts expect senior leaders will be engaged in bitter in-fighting over Xi’s succession.

The meeting is expected to draw up the agenda for next year’s 19th party congress, when Xi could announce his successor.

But Chinese observers are predicting the declaration could be delayed, fuelling speculation that Xi is seeking to become the first leader since Deng Xiaoping to remain in power beyond the 10-year period of office.

Steven Tsang, professor of Chinese studies at the University of Nottingham, said Xi could seek to extend his rule by using the conference to ensure key allies retain their positions - specifically in China’s cabinet - which is known as the politburo standing committee.

Five of its seven members - all except Xi and Li Keqiang, the prime minister - are expected to step down after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 68 at next year’s party congress.

But Xi will try to ‘‘bend the rule’’ to keep close friend Wang Qishan in office, Tsang said.

‘‘If he can do that, he will keep his most powerful ally in place and indicate he may stay on for a third term,’’ he said.

Chinese media said that the plenum would address new rules on the ‘‘strict management’’ of the party, which is expected to mean that tighter restrictions on party members will be enforced as part of Xi’s anti-corruption drive.

- Telegraph Group