2y ago

Who (and what?) comes after Xi?

I recently saw a post here commemorating Xi on his 70th birthday. Quite the accomplishment in terms of how well he is doing as a leader, and in terms of personal health.

However, this also got me thinking. What comes after Xi? Sadly he is not immortal, and is rapidly approaching an age where he will not be able to as effectively carry out his duties. Plus he deserves to retire at some point to also enjoy his life.

From this, are there plans for who will take Xi's place? Who are the candidates with the most potential in terms of being elected? What will be China's path after Xi's resignation in terms of economic, geopolitical, military, and social development? Will Xi's path be continued, or will a new leader decide to change course? Will a continuation of Dengist policies be committed to, as Xi did, or will there be a return to the policies of the Four?

Preferably Comrades who are Chinese, have ties to China, or are knowledgeable in the subject could give their observations and opinions, but for everyone else, what are your thoughts?

14 comments

Yeah I'm really not sure. Everyone in the Standing Committee of the Politburo are 60 or older, and Xi has close to five (maybe even ten??) years left.
- I feel like 75-80 is pushing it significantly. Realistically the maximum is probably going to be within 2-5, as Xi is still subject to human aging and mental deterioration, and neither he nor the politburo would want a Trump/Biden situation with a decrepit leader.
Chen will become the leader and China will move to a dunk-based economy.
Really though, I have no idea, but a "return to the policies of the Four" seems like the least likely outcome. Looking at the politburo it's hard to make a guess. Maybe Li Qiang, but it depends on how he does. I'd want to say Wang Huning, but I don't think he'd want to be in the public eye like that.
- Chen would conquer the world over the course of a week maximum. He would melt all twitter, Facebook, and reddit user's brains till the western population is a paltry shadow of its former self.
  But thank you for the insight! I was also thinking Li Qiang, as he seems to be in the most applicable position to take Xi's place, and he has been making strong moves, and in turn drawing attention in the public and international eye. I was unsure due to his age, and overall policies which he hasn't brought to the forefront very much.
  I'm very iffy on Wang though, he seems to be much more comfortable and applicable as a political theorist, "commissar" and bureaucrat, so I'm very unsure he'd even want a position like Premier, or do very well as one. Much more a writer then a leader.
  
  Yeah I agree about Wang, he's been high up in government so long but doesn't face the public in any way that I've seen. He's also just a few years younger than Xi. I was hoping there would be some younger members appointed in the last politburo to give a gesture as to where things may be heading once this generation is out.
  I'm curious to see how he does, but tbh I hope it isn't Li Qiang.
- Li Qiang
  is he the right wing guy?
  
  More liberal and more of a warhawk, but I wouldn’t say he’s overtly reactionary from what I’ve seen. He is your typical “free market, no government interference”. He wants to ease regulations, and has friends in high places like international investment bankers, billionaires like Jack Ma, the Apple and bridgewater CEO’s, and foreign organizations.
  He’s a potentially dangerous figure, but he’s also extremely enigmatic with his policies and beliefs, so it’s hard to pin down exactly what his end goals are, or what a lot of his beliefs are.
  I do not have a good feeling about him, he seems to be everything that liberals say Xi is. Which is nothing good.

14 comments