The 5th Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China concluded on October 29. While the session confirmed significant promotions and disciplinary actions among senior party and military officials, it did not reveal a clear successor to President Xi Jinping.
As the 21st Party Congress approaches in the second half of 2027, speculation continues about who Xi will designate as his successor and which individuals will be positioned in the next leadership.
During the session, it was announced that Zhang Shengmin was elected as a member of the Politburo. Ten candidates were promoted to full Central Committee members. Born in 1958, Zhang has a long military career, having joined the People's Liberation Army in 1978. He has served in various roles, including overseeing discipline inspections within the Central Military Commission and has been involved in anti-corruption efforts. His promotion to the Politburo ends a period without military representation among its members.
The ten newly promoted Central Committee members include Lu Dongliang, governor of Shanxi Province; Bao Gang, chairman of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region government; Xing Shanping, deputy secretary of Shanxi Province; Qu Yingpu, president and editor-in-chief of China Daily; Lü Jun, chairman of China Datang Corporation; Zhu Tianshu, secretary of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region Political and Legal Committee; Zhu Guoxian, chairman of the Jilin Provincial Political Consultative Conference; Liu Jun, president of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China; Liu Jie, governor of Zhejiang Province; and Liu Qiang, party secretary of Jinan City in Shandong Province. Among these, Lu Dongliang, born in 1973, is the youngest member promoted.
While the new Central Committee members come from diverse sectors, including local government, finance, state-owned enterprises, and media, their promotions do not necessarily indicate a direct path to the next top leadership.
The session also confirmed the expulsion from the party of high-ranking officials, including Ma Xingrui, former party secretary of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, and Zhang Youxia, former vice chairman of the Central Military Commission. Ma was a key local leader, while Zhang played a significant role in the military under Xi's administration.
Attention now turns to the 21st National Congress of the Communist Party, set for next year. While there is a possibility that a successor may emerge at the congress, it is also possible that the leadership structure will be established without a formal designation of Xi's successor, maintaining the focus on Xi's continued authority.
A key indicator will be the appointments to the Politburo Standing Committee. Observers will be watching to see who among the current members, including Xi, remains, who departs, and the age and roles of any new entrants. If relatively younger individuals join the Standing Committee and take on core positions, they could be viewed as potential future leaders.
Ding Xuexiang, born in 1962, is currently 64 years old and is considered a close aide to Xi, serving as a vice premier. If he retains his position after the next congress and ascends to the vice presidency, he could emerge as a leading candidate for succession. Other potential candidates include Chen Jining, party secretary of Shanghai, and Chen Min'er, party secretary of Tianjin, both of whom are relatively younger members of the Politburo. Chen Jining, born in 1964, is 62 years old and has a background in environmental engineering, while Chen Min'er, born in 1960, is 66 years old and has built his career through connections with Xi.
It remains uncertain who Xi will choose as his successor. The upcoming congress may clarify the succession dynamics, or it could lead to a continuation of Xi's leadership without a designated successor. With just one year remaining, the identity of the next leader of China, a rising global power, remains to be seen.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.