Xi Jinping Becomes General Secretary
Xi Jinping was elected General Secretary of the CCP and Chairman of the Central Military Commission. In 2018, the National People's Congress amended the constitution to remove the two-term limit on the state presidency.
Rise to Power
Xi Jinping was formally elected General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party on November 15, 2012, at the conclusion of the 18th Party Congress, succeeding Hu Jintao. Xi had served in provincial governance roles in Fujian, Zhejiang, and Shanghai, and as a Politburo Standing Committee member for five years prior to his election. His selection was the result of elite consensus among the nine-member Standing Committee rather than open competition.
The Xi Era: Centralization and the Chinese Dream
Xi's leadership differed from the collective leadership model that had governed China since Deng Xiaoping. Under his leadership, an anti-corruption campaign detained over a million officials, including senior figures such as Zhou Yongkang and Bo Xilai; military command was consolidated; control over media, internet, academia, and civil society was tightened; and Xi established himself as the "core" leader. His "Chinese Dream" concept articulated a vision of national rejuvenation and the restoration of China's great-power status.
Constitutional Changes
In 2018 the National People's Congress amended the constitution to remove presidential term limits, which had been set at two terms since 1982 as a structural check against the return of one-man rule. At the 20th Party Congress in 2022, Xi was re-elected to a third term as General Secretary.
Narrative Comparison
| Source | Narrative |
|---|---|
| Beijing Official Account | The 18th National Congress of the CCP successfully completed the renewal of Party and state leadership. Xi Jinping's election as General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and Chairman of the Central Military Commission is the normal expression of the Party's principle of democratic centralism. The anti-corruption campaign launched by the Party Central Committee is a major decision in the comprehensive and strict governance of the Party; all corrupt officials are held fully accountable without exception under Party discipline and the law. The constitutional amendment on the state presidency's term was deliberated and adopted by the National People's Congress in accordance with constitutional procedure, aimed at advancing the modernisation of the national governance system, and fully reflects the unity of the Party's programme with the will of the people. |
| US Official Account | The tightening of restrictions on press freedom, internet freedom, and civil society in China raises continuing concerns about the protection of fundamental civil liberties. China should uphold its obligations under international human rights standards. The United States and China share common interests in trade, climate, and regional security, and the bilateral relationship will be advanced on the basis of practical engagement. |
| Western Academic Analysis | Xi Jinping's path to leadership has been analysed as a product of elite negotiation within the Politburo Standing Committee rather than open competitive selection (Shambaugh; Nathan). Researchers have examined the dual functions of the anti-corruption campaign: as a governance instrument against official corruption, and as a means of consolidating personal authority through the removal of political rivals; both interpretations have been explored in the scholarly literature (Pei; Brown). The 2018 constitutional amendment removing presidential term limits has been interpreted by multiple scholars as a substantive departure from the collective leadership framework of the Deng Xiaoping era. The 'Chinese Dream' discourse has also received scholarly attention, with researchers analysing its ideological function in linking a narrative of national rejuvenation to the legitimacy of Party rule. |
Key Milestones
- 18th Party Congress Opens
The 18th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party opened in Beijing, setting the agenda for the leadership transition and formally initiating the succession process.
- Xi Jinping Elected General Secretary
The First Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee elected Xi Jinping as General Secretary and Chairman of the Central Military Commission. The new seven-member Politburo Standing Committee was announced on the same day.
- Elected State President
The First Session of the 12th National People's Congress elected Xi Jinping as President of the People's Republic of China. He thus held the positions of Party General Secretary, CMC Chairman, and State President concurrently.
- Constitutional Amendment Removes Term Limits
The First Session of the 13th National People's Congress adopted a constitutional amendment removing the provision that had capped the state presidency at two terms since 1982.
- Re-elected to Third Term as General Secretary
The First Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee re-elected Xi Jinping as General Secretary and CMC Chairman.
Sub-Events
Xi Jinping's Anti-Corruption Campaign
Xi Jinping launched an anti-corruption campaign through the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, investigating over 4 million officials by 2022; critics argue it also eliminated political rivals and centralised power in Xi's hands.
Belt and Road Initiative Announced
Xi Jinping announced the Silk Road Economic Belt in Kazakhstan in September 2013, and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road in Indonesia in October 2013, together forming China's foreign policy and infrastructure investment initiative spanning more than 150 countries.
20th Party Congress: Xi Jinping Secures Third Term
The 20th National Congress confirmed Xi Jinping for an unprecedented third term as General Secretary, filling the Politburo Standing Committee exclusively with Xi loyalists and completing a consolidation of personal power without precedent in the reform era.
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