Xi Jinping begins China's ‘new era’ with no heir apparent

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping was re-elected for a second term on Wednesday and appeared set to continue in office beyond the end of this term in 2022 as Communist Party officials also chose new members to the powerful politburo standing committee (PSC) but threw up no heir apparent to Xi. This marks a shift from the party's tradition of identifying the next leader and grooming the person for the task.

Two younger leaders — Hu Chunhua, party chief in the prosperous Guangdong province, and Chen Miner, party head in Chongqing city and a XI protege — widely regarded as possible successors to Xi did not make it to the seven-member PSC, a prerequisite for the party's future general secretary. All the new PSC members are old enough to reach the retirement age of 68 by 2022.

Premier Li Keqiang retained his post though there was some speculation among diplomats and foreign investors that he might be replaced. Xi might appoint an executive vice-premier to take some of his workload, political circles said. The post is expected to go to Shanghai party boss Han Zheng who has not joined the PSC.

The PSC members, listed in order of their rank within the party, are general secretary Xi, Premier Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji and Han Zheng.

Notably absent from the PSC was graft-buster Wang Qishan, 69, who led the anti-corruption campaign and played a key role in expanding Xi's influence across different sections of the party. He bowed out of the PSC due to an unwritten rule setting the retirement age at 68. The post is expected to go to Xi protege and party personnel department head Zhao Leji.

Xi also tightened his grip over the military with two appointments to the Central Military Commission, which he heads. A new entrant is General Xu Quliang, 67, who served in Fujian province where Xi spent many years as a party official. An existing member, General Zhang Youxia, 67, a former Air Force commander, has been given a second term. Like Xi, Zhang is the son of a revolutionary from Shaanxi province and regarded as his childhood friend.

Party officials associated with Xi during his postings in different places and those who travelled with him on multiple occasions have been favoured in selections for different positions. The third position in the PSC went to Li Zhanshu, Xi's most trusted ally. Nearly 10 of the 15 new entrants to the political bureau are known to be personally associated with Xi.

The Chinese president has started the process of revamping the party ideology along the lines of the "Xi Jinping Thought for the New Era of Socialism with Chinese Special Characteristics", which has been included in the party's constitution. Wang Huning, the party's principal theorist, joins the PSC to advance his task of refining Xi's ideology.

The party chose to reappoint 10 old members to the 25-member political bureau, a decision-making body.

The official ranked fourth, Wang Yang, might give up his current position as vice-premier and take over as the chair of the top political advisory body, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.