China shuffles leadership committee and retains many of Xi’s allies

BEIJING – China announced on Saturday its new central committee will include many known allies of the Chinese President. Xi Jinpingwhile some more market-oriented officials are not on the list.

That central committee then continued identify the core leadership – Politburo and its standing committee. According to state media, the names of these core positions will be released at midday on Sunday Beijing time.

Four of the seven current members of the Politburo Standing Committee are not on the list. The only three remaining are Mr. Xi, Wang Huning – known for his work on ideology – and Zhao Leji – the current head of party discipline.

Li Qiang, the party secretary of Shanghai, and his Beijing counterpart Cai Qi are still on the list of the central committee.

The Center for China Analysis of the Asian Institute of Social Policy called the patron of Li Qiang Xi. Other Xi loyalists identified by the Asia Society have been included in the list of new central committee members.

• Ding Xuexiang – Politburo member and “basically Xi’s Chief of Staff, as well as in charge of his personal security, meaning he is among Xi’s closest confidants”, Asia Society report said.
• Chen Min’er, Politburo member and Communist Party secretary of Chongqing, a job he got after Xi “suddenly deposed” his previous position as party secretary, Asia Society pointed out.
• Huang Kunming, a member of the Politburo and head of China’s propaganda department, has worked closely with Xi in Fujian and Zhejiang provinces, the report said.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi remains on the new list, despite expectations he could retire and make room for a shift in China’s foreign policy, which has become increasingly aggressive.

Qin Gang, China’s ambassador to the US, is also on the new list.

Hu Chunhua, another favorite for the lead role, is still on the list. Hu was closely related to Mr. Xi’s predecessor, Hu Jintao. His promotion would signal “leadership unity” with Mr. Xi appointing people from outside his own faction, Brookings senior colleague Cheng Li said at a talk earlier this month.

Hu Jintao was escorted out of the chair next to Mr. Xi during the closing ceremony of the 20th National Party Congress on Saturday, according to reports and multiple witnesses. It’s not clear why he was suddenly taken out.