Read this detailed article from The Times on Xi Jinping’s appointment as Shanghai’s Party Secretary.
‘Princeling’ takes key step up power ladder
One family friend of Mr Xi described his appointment as a careful compromise. “He is a very neutral person who has always avoided showing any strong political opinions, neither supporting or opposing people and their policies openly. He is not someone with great charisma, neither will he cause any harm. He is the perfect compromise candidate who would be acceptable to Jiang’s ‘Shanghai gang’.”
What are your thoughts (if any) on this new appointment and the on-going power struggle inside the leadership?
1
By fatbrick
Xi will be at least next premier, given his new assignment. This is not a secret. Recent local leaders re-assignment is also part of the result of power comprisement. If you are doing business in China, you need to study the change carefully. Otherwise it really has nothing to do with average people.
March 27, 2007 @ 12:45 am | Comment
2
By maonaigh
One sentence in the article confused me.
“A new Politburo is due to be elected at the next party congress, in the autumn.”
However, in the preceeding paragraph, I read:
“[H]e should be assured of a seat on the ruling Politburo � in an electoral process that is little more than a formality � when the party�s Central Committee convenes for its next plenum, probably in mid-spring.”
As I understood it from my Wikipedia research, the Party Congress in Autumn elects a central committee which it turn elects a Politburo.
I understand that some of these elections may indeed just be rubber stamp committee’s, but, nonetheless I would like to understand an inkling of how the process is supposed to work.
March 27, 2007 @ 2:03 am | Comment
3
By Raj
“Otherwise it really has nothing to do with average people.”
Hmm, it should do really, though, shouldn’t it. Or did you simply mean that it will have zero impact on them?
March 27, 2007 @ 4:20 am | Comment
4
By fatbrick
maonaigh, I don’t remember the details of those process. I just want to point out that the voting itself in that circle maight be rubber stamp. However negotiations and agreement had been done before the vote.
“Hmm, it should do really, though, shouldn’t it. Or did you simply mean that it will have zero impact on them?”
Individual has no power to affect the political result. You need money, network, organization to stand behind you to let your voice heard. If your voice is higher than your opposition, you opinion matters.
March 28, 2007 @ 2:34 am | Comment
5
By dylan
Maonaigh,
the second paragraph you quote is in error – or at least it is going by recent practice at Party Congresses. You see the first Central Committee Plenum of the new term is held at the Party Congress – the one the next year is the second Central Committee Plenum – and it is at the first plenum that the Politburo is ‘elected’ along with the General Secretary.
March 30, 2007 @ 4:32 am | Comment