CPC elevates Xi as ‘core’ leader

The ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) on Thursday declared President Xi Jinping as the “core” of its leadership, conferring on him a status similar to that of party founder ‘Chairman’ Mao Zedong but decided to carry on with the collective leadership system.

A key meeting of the CPC has called on all its members to “closely unite around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core,” Xinhua news agency reported.

Xi (63) also heads the party as general-secretary of the CPC and the military, besides the presidency. The announcement was made at the end of the four-day plenary meeting of the CPC, comprising over 370 senior officials of the party. 

But contrary to the speculation that the party may dispense with the over three-decade rule stipulating collective leadership, the plenum stressed on the importance of adherence to the collective leadership system of CPC.

“They discussed the matter at the sixth plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, calling for a combination of collective leadership with individual responsibility,” the report said. The collective leadership was introduced in 1981 to ensure that no individual dominated the party leadership. Speculation was rife earlier that it may be amended.

As an important part of the CPC’s fundamental organisation principle of democratic centralism, the collective leadership system “must always be followed and should not be violated by any organisation or individual under any circumstance or for any reason,” a communique said.