CPC congress: Changes to party charter further cement President Xi’s power

BEIJING – Chinese President Xi Jinping has further consolidated his position in the country’s ruling party, after key changes to the Communist Party of China’s (CPC) charter.

Some 2,300 party members on Saturday voted unanimously to pass the changes to the party’s top guiding document at the end of a week-long party congress. The party elites meet once every five years at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

One of the key changes to the party charter is the inclusion of the term “two establishments” (liangge queli), which refers to establishing Mr Xi as the CPC “core”, and his ideas as the party’s guiding principles.

A second slogan “two safeguards” (liangge weihu), which safeguards the core status of Mr Xi within the party and the party’s centralised authority, has also been included.

Experts say the changes further bolster Mr Xi’s already considerable authority within the party and further consolidates his clout.

It would make opposition against Mr Xi more difficult, say analysts, as any divergent views could be seen as an attack on the party.

Since its founding in 1921, the CPC has amended its charter at each party congress to reflect the changing political doctrines that guide that party.

In the last party congress in 2017, the charter was amended to include Mr Xi’s political ideology “Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era”.

He is the only leader apart from Mao Zedong that had his political doctrine included in the charter while still in office.

Delegates and journalists had a little dose of drama at the usually staid closing session of the congress on Saturday.

At about 11am, as top leaders including Mr Xi sat on the stage at the Great Hall of the People, former leader Hu Jintao, 79, who was sitting next to Mr Xi, was seen being persuaded by two men to leave. A frail-looking Mr Hu appeared reluctant, even after one of them pulled him up from his chair.

As he was about to be escorted off the stage, Mr Hu said something to Mr Xi, to which the latter nodded. He also appeared to have said something to his protege, Premier Li Keqiang, and patted him on the shoulder. No explanation was given for his sudden departure.