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With the up-coming 19th Congress of the Communist Party of China scheduled from 18-25 October 2017, the elite politics in Beijing has become a focus of attention, both within and outside China. This year too, there was political purge of prominent leader at the Politburo level. In the Spring of 2012, Bo Xilai was ejected, this year Sun Zhengcai is brought down before the congress. Both were Chongqing Party bosses before their dismissals. Though the stage is set, and curtains drawn for unveiling the leaders among the elected 2287 delegates, the CPC’s secrecy in anointing prospective candidates for various organs of the party—Politburo, Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the Secretariat, Central Military Commission from the up-coming new central committee is still speculated. Until now, rumours are rife with various candidates’ names doing rounds to occupy these powerful party positions, but under Xi Jinping’s increasingly dominant power, the mystery ensues as some of his confidants like Wang Qishan despite reaching 69 years, a is slated to stay, and Chen Miner who is likely to jump the line to become the PBSC member. Thus, how will the leadership reshuffle take place at the congress will impact China’s political landscape in the coming future under Xi Jinping’s leadership. The implications can be both domestic and outside the party-state.

Wang Qishan- Will he, will he not?

Xi Jinping’s Man Friday, Wang Qishan, the CCDI boss, and one of the seven PBSC members is likely to retain his position. Although reaching 69 years of age, Wang, a close confidant of Xi may be blessed with another fiver year term. His close association with the yibashou—Mr. Xi, in anti-corruption campaign bringing down scores of cadres both high and low has worked in tandem. However, Wang’s speculated non-retirement if possible will destabilizes the ‘age norm’ criteria, a convention established to institutionalize succession politics.

Xi Jinping trying to retain Wang Qishan, a technocrat and professional, one can also see that the former trying to use Wang as a ‘pawn’ to test his power among the high politics at Beijing. If Wang’s position is secured, and retained, then Xi Jinping’s position can also be secured at the 20th Party Congress in 2022, when Xi will also be 69.

Prospective PBSC Members of the 19th CPC Central Committee

18th Congress) 19th Congress Xi Jinping Xi Jinping (1951), General Secretary, CPC Li Keqiang Li Keqiang (1953), PBSC Member, Premier Zhang Dejiang Li Zhanshu (1950), Head, General Office Yu Zhengshen Zhao Leji (1957), Head, CPC Organization dept. Liu Yunshan Chen Miner (1960), Party Secretary, Chongqing Wang Qishan Han Zheng (1954), Party Secretary, Shanghai Zhang Gaoli Wang Yang (1955), Vice-Premier, Politburo Hu Chunhua (1963), Party Secretary, Guangdong (?) Cai Qi (1955), Party Secretary, Beijing (?) Wang Qishan (1948), CCDI Boss, 18th PBSC (?)

Bo-Wang-Sun: Draining the swamp? Last week, the revised delegates attending the 19th CPC National Congress on 18th October were reduced to 2287 members from the proposed 2300 delegates. The 13 delegates whose names were ‘struck-off’ belonged to the Chongqing Municipality, and five were senior members of the Chongqing Municipal Party Standing Committee. The total delegates from Chongqing were 43, even Sun Zhengcai, the disgraced party secretary were included in the provincial delegate list

The five senior members are Zeng Qinghong (female), personnel affairs in-charge; Liu Qiang, police and judicial in-charge & vice mayor; Wang Xiangang, head of secretariat of municipal committee; Chen Lüping, vice mayor; and Tao Changhai, liaison head, overseas Chinese groups.

The legacy of Bo-Wang-Sun (BWS) has now haunted others down the administration as well. The rule of the game has become “winner takes all’ by draining the swamp, that is the cleaning up the remnants of BWS clout/confidants by Chen Miner leadership with XI’s approval. Once again, Chongqing, a high profile place for promotion has also become a place for political demise.