China’s political cycle is entering the last leg before the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) meets next year to decide on what could be President Xi Jinping’s historic third innings. But before that, the party’s central committee over the course of seven meetings will decide on important agendas for the country in the next five years.

The sixth of these meetings, called plenums, is the closest equivalent to an election campaign. Here, Xi Jinping will be able to gauge whether enough of the party’s elite supports his rise for a potential ruler for life in China.

What are the plenums?

The National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party is a party congress that is held every five years. The congress formally approves the membership of the Central Committee, a body comprising the top decision-makers in the party, state, and society, though in practice all the congress does is eliminate unpopular candidates from the running.

Also read: China updates official news sources list, excludes high-profile Caixin

Seven plenary sessions, or plenums, are held every year. State leaders, military chiefs, provincial authorities and expert academicians meet in Beijing. Each plenum deals with a different topic for which the agenda is set. The sixth plenum in particular deals with intra-party plans and social policies of the party.

It is here that Xi Jinping is expected to unveil a historic resolution.

What is a historic resolution?

Historic resolutions are important documents published by the CCP that highlight the consensus of the party elite on critical decisions. While the documents themselves appear to be filled with jargon and politburo-speak, historic resolutions highlight the strength of the leaders who bring them forth. In the CCP’s storied history, only two historic resolutions have been passed and only from two of its most influential leaders.

The first historic document was published by Mao Zedong in 1945, four years before the CCP established full control of the country, and would clear all questions of leadership, leading to Mao ruling the country through his cult of personality.

Also read: Explained: Why is China cracking down on Bitcoin?

The next historic resolution was equally important. Deng Xiaoping, who was not the President or Premier of China, but still emerged as the de facto leader of the country following Mao’s death, was responsible for the second resolution.

Deng, who is credited for creating the modern Chinese state by opening up its economy and introducing important policy changes to steer China away from Maoism and communism, introduced a historic resolution that criticised the failures of Mao and the Great Leap Forward while still legitimising the CCP.

What is Xi’s proposed historic resolution?

Xi had already ensured that term limits for the Chinese President were removed a few years ago. But removing the term limits is not the same as being elected repeatedly or even being elected as a ruler for life.

For Xi, using a historic resolution to signify the ratification of the party elite behind his possible rule of life is a significant change. Earlier in the year, the CCP politburo reviewed a draft on “the major achievements and historical experiences of the party’s 100 years,” reported the state-run Xinhua News Agency.

Also read: Explainer: Why Jack Ma is facing trouble with Chinese government?

Xi is expected to gloss over the many failures, shortcomings and criticisms of the country and highlight how the country’s continued success is tied to his own administration of the nation, a new cult of personality that Deng had worked hard to eliminate.

Xi has already embarked on a new era of communism in China. The abundant capitalist utopia has lost $1 trillion in stock wipeouts after Xi announced plans of “common prosperity” and began a crackdown on China’s elite billionaires and tech companies. Xi’s elevation to ruler for life has huge political ramifications at a time when tensions continue to increase in the Indo-Pacific region between Western nations, other democratic powers in the area and the Chinese state and their Russian allies.

Also read: After revising two-child policy, China is now taking measures to encourage procreation

(Edited by : Shoma Bhattacharjee)

First Published:Nov 8, 2021 5:28 PM IST