Who Will Succeed Xi Jinping?
- 31.10.2026, 20:31
The question of a successor arises.
The 5th Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) was held in Beijing from October 26 to 29, with a primary focus on strengthening party discipline. Xi Jinping, who serves concurrently as General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and President of the People’s Republic of China, made it clear that he intends not only to expand the ongoing anti-corruption campaign within the party, but also to ensure that officials at all levels demonstrate greater loyalty and initiative, according to "Deutsche Welle".
Chinese authorities fear instability in the country
According to a statement released at the end of the plenum, a resolution was adopted at the plenum that highlighted the achievements of the party leadership and Xi Jinping personally, who demonstrated “outstanding political resolve and a high sense of responsibility” in the fight against corruption and in overcoming the weakening of party leadership. The document also emphasized the need to “consistently strengthen oversight of leading cadres and tighten intra-party discipline.”
Kerry Brown, director of the Lau China Institute (LCI) at King’s College London, believes that Xi Jinping is seeking to minimize potential sources of instability in the country. Against the backdrop of ongoing international tensions and China’s domestic challenges, including economic difficulties, Xi is continuing his anti-corruption campaign and demanding greater loyalty from officials, Brown explained in an interview with DW.
“These measures will continue with even greater determination because the party is convinced that without unity and strict discipline within its ranks, it will follow the same path as many other political forces in the world today, becoming fragmented and weak,” the LCI director added.
Xi Targets “Two-Faced” Party Officials
Recently, the Chinese leader spoke of the need to identify and remove “two-faced officials” from their posts. In a speech published in mid-October in the party journal Qiushi, he spoke of people who pay lip service to loyalty to the central leadership but, in practice, ignore its directives and pursue their own “individualistic” goals.
Xi called such individuals “political opportunists.” The General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee also criticized party officials who strive to appear as “nice guys” and, under the pretext of maintaining harmony, prefer to stay on the sidelines when real problems arise.
According to Kerry Brown, China’s political system is currently facing a serious dilemma. If officials at all levels are truly encouraged to exercise greater independence and boldness in resolving problems, Party control may weaken, creating additional opportunities for corruption.
If, on the other hand, the Communist Party leadership opts to tighten internal party discipline and increase pressure on rank-and-file members, there is a risk of stifling initiative. According to Brown, this could affect not only the CCP but also the military. “The Chinese leadership is extremely risk-averse,” Brown noted.
China is doing quite well in a chaotic world
Political scientist at the National University of Singapore Chong Jia Yan points out that under Xi Jinping, the scope for independent decision-making among party officials is very limited. From this perspective, the leadership’s demands for them to show more initiative do not seem like a serious problem for them.
“I think Xi would like officials to act more actively and decisively when carrying out specific tasks. But he still doesn’t want them to be so independent in their judgment as to question the course he has set. The initiative Xi demands concerns the implementation of decisions, not their adoption,” Chung clarified in an interview with DW.
The Chinese leader, adds Kerry Brown, appears willing to sacrifice a certain degree of flexibility in the governance system in exchange for greater control and stability. “As long as unity is maintained, the system continues to exist and function. But if that unity disappears, everything could collapse very quickly,” the LCI director suggested.
In his assessment, this approach is generally working so far: “You can’t say that the Chinese economy is in a catastrophic state. Yes, things aren’t going brilliantly, but we’re far from a catastrophe. And besides, look at what’s happening in the world. Chaos reigns everywhere.”
Who will succeed Xi Jinping?
Meanwhile, outside observers are closely monitoring the political moves of 73-year-old Xi Jinping and trying to figure out who might eventually succeed him. For now, however, Xi appears to have a firm grip on power. It is highly likely that in the second half of next year, at the next party congress, he will be re-elected as General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, a position he could hold until at least 2032.
This possibility arose following changes implemented by Xi Jinping in 2018, when term limits for state and party leaders were abolished. According to both Kerry Brown and Chong Jia-ian, the issue of succession plays an important role in the Chinese leader’s efforts to ensure stability in the country.
“There is always a risk that disagreements within the party will lead to a split, especially when the question of a successor comes up. And although we do not expect such a split to occur in the near future, debates and speculation about who will one day succeed Xi are bound to arise,” Brown warns. In his words, “Xi cannot remain in power forever.”
However, political scientist Chong is convinced that, for now, all power in China is concentrated in Xi’s hands. Therefore, the General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee may fear that naming a successor too early would weaken his own position. “On the other hand, a failure to prepare for the transfer of power in a timely manner could lead to a power vacuum and serious instability. To resolve this dilemma, the current Chinese leader needs both self-confidence and a willingness to step aside at the right time, as his predecessors did. But not every politician possesses such confidence,” Chong concluded.