Xi Jinping Third Term in China: Surrounded by Allies and Power Consolidation

Xi Jinping entering the third term in China alongside with the new appointed member of Politburo Standing Committee (Source: CNN.com)

Powerful Step Surrounded by Allies 

On 23rd October 2022, Xi Jinping managed to secure another five years period as leader of the Chinese Communist Party. The decision presents a historical step as it will set China’s government system back into a one-man rule, as the power was being shared among the elites before. Surrounded by Xi’s loyalists, Xi Jinping comes out from the Communist Party Congress with two most important titles, which as the general secretary and the head of the Central Military Commision. Not only securing crucial positions for himself, but Xi Jinping also appointed his allies to stand beside him as members of the Politburo standing committee. Seven members of the Politburo Standing Committee consist of Xi Jinping himself, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Li Xi, and lastly, Ding Xuexiang. Together, they stand as the most powerful figures in China, responsible for the nation’s decision-making process and rules (Kuo & Shepherd, 2022; Al Jazeera, 2022; McCarthy et al., 2022).

Growing Concern for China’s Human Rights Issue  

With all the cases of human rights issues going on in China, the new period of Xi Jinping’s rule over China surely invites many concerns. The cases of human rights issues during Xi Jinping’s rule for over 10 years in China since 2012 sparked questions and concern from the international community. During the pandemic, Xi Jinping’s unpredictable covid-19 policies have resulted in outrage from the local community as the lockdown has affected their lives in a harsh way. Revolving conflicts around unequal socio-economics issues, unemployment, and food insecurity, people in China are still facing injustice and threats to their human rights. In Shanghai, the two months of disastrous lockdown under Li Qiang’s supervision left the residents lacking food and supplies. But even after the public outrage towards the Zero-Covid policy in Shanghai, Li Qiang was still appointed by Xi Jinping to be the next premier. This sparks the assumption that Xi Jinping strives to fill the top position with his men to consolidate power (Human Rights Watch, 2022; Kuo & Shepherd, 2022)

Conclusion

With the previous assumption of Xi Jinping’s decision to consolidate power, China is facing a new period full of power and control from the government. Defiant with the west and uncertainty flow of the global economy, China will face an unpredictable new challenge in the future under Xi Jinping’s iron fist. Still, the ongoing human rights issues are also constantly being raised by the international community. One can only prepare for the future that lies ahead, whether it will be catastrophic or on the contrary, full of hope.

Author: Vanya Wilhelmina Susanto

Editor: Dustin Rashidi Hasan, Hafsyah Azzahra, Jennifer Clara Aprilia & Viranty Yulia Putri

References:

Al Jazeera. (2022, October 23). China’s XI secures third term, stacks leadership team with allies. Xi Jinping News | Al Jazeera. Retrieved October 24, 2022, from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/10/23/xi-jinping-secures-historic-third-term-as-chinas-leader 

China: Third term for XI threatens rights. Human Rights Watch. (2022, October 14). Retrieved October 24, 2022, from https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/10/10/china-third-term-xi-threatens-rights 

Kuo, L., & Shepherd, C. (2022, October 24). China’s Communist Party hands XI an endless rule for flexing power. The Washington Post. Retrieved October 24, 2022, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/10/23/xi-jinping-leader-china-congress/ 

McCarthy, S., Gan, N., Jiang, S., Xiong, Y., & Chang, W. (2022, October 23). Xi Jinping enters third term as China’s most powerful leader in decades surrounded by loyalists. CNN. Retrieved October 24, 2022, from https://edition.cnn.com/2022/10/22/china/china-party-congress-xi-jinping-leadership-lineup-revealed-intl-hnk/index.html