Chinese envoy explains decision to declare President Xi as ‘core leader’

The Ambassador of China to Rwanda, Pan Hejun, has said the decision by the Chinese Communist Party to declare President Xi Jinping as the “core leader” is meant to ease decision making for the country’s development. Amb. Pan was speaking at a news conference in Kigali, yesterday, to explain to the media about the some of the resolutions of the 6th plenary session of the party’s 18th central committee, last month. The central committee members gave President Xi Jinping the title of “core leader,” a decision that was received with mixed reactions across the world. The core leader title marks a significant strengthening of Xi’s position before a key party congress next year, at which a new standing committee, the pinnacle of power in China, will be constituted. “All members should closely unite around the central committee with comrade Xi Jinping as the core,” said the document, released through state media. The title puts him on par with past Chinese leaders Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping, though it does not make his power absolute. Ever since, different experts have come out with various views. “There’s still a lot of unanswered questions. Will his successor be named? Will Xi get a third term?” said Steve Tsang, professor of contemporary Chinese studies at the University of Nottingham. Jude Blanchette, a researcher in Beijing, who is writing a book on the legacy of Mao said, “It appears on the surface to further erode the concept of ‘collective leadership’ that has emerged as the norm in Chinese politics since 2000.” “It confirms a narrative that Xi himself must be aware of — that the norms of power-sharing and institutionalised succession that have slowly emerged in the post-Mao era are now clearly in question,” Blanchette added. Amb. Pan, however, said the more powers given to President Xi are meant to help him and his “standing committee”- (seven members that are at the pinnacle of power in China) to easily make decisions in order to speed up the development of the country. “It is very important to set him as the core leader for the standing committee to easily make decisions,” he said. Since assuming office almost four years ago, Xi has rapidly consolidated power, including heading a group that is leading economic change and appointing himself commander-in-chief of the military, though as head of the central military commission he already controlled the armed forces. While head of the party, the military and the state, Xi had not previously been given the title “core”. Deng Xiaoping, a Chinese statesman who led China from 1978 to 1989, coined the phrase “core leader” and said himself, Mao Zedong and Jiang Zemin were core leaders, meaning they had almost absolute authority and should not be questioned. Xi’s immediate predecessor, Hu Jintao, was never called the “core.” The Communist Party of China is the founding and ruling political party of the People’s Republic of China. The CPC is the sole governing party of China, although it coexists alongside eight other legal parties that comprise the United Front. These parties, however, hold no real power or independence from the CPC. The CPC is currently the world’s second largest political party with a membership of 88.76 million as of 2016. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Chinese envoy explains decision to declare President Xi as ‘core leader’