China Communist Party Raises Xi’s Status Ahead of Reshuffle
- Urges unity behind ‘core’ president, strengthening his hand
- Plenum starts countdown to major leadship overhaul next year
Xi Exalted as China's 'Core' Leader
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China’s Communist Party declared President Xi Jinping as its “core,” a designation that strengthens his hand ahead of a twice-a-decade power reshuffle next year.
The announcement was made at the end of a four-day party conclave in Beijing, the state-run Xinhua News Agency said, citing an official communique. The semantic change is significant in China’s elite politics, which has for more than three decades stressed collective leadership to avoid the Mao Zedong-style personality cult blamed for fueling the social chaos of the Cultural Revolution.