China’s game of thrones

Five of the seven members of China’s Politburo Standing Committee – the country’s supreme decision-making body – are due to retire in a massive leadership change that happens twice a decade


Population of China
1.39 billion
(United Nations estimate)

Chinese Communist Party (CCP): Selects National Party Congress

National Party Congress: 2,300 hand-picked delegates select Central Committee

400-member Central Committee approves 20-25-member Politburo…

…and 7-member Politburo Standing Committee


Xi Jinping, 64: President Xi will be returned as General Secretary of 89 million-strong CCP and retain leadership of powerful military

Li Keqiang, 62: Premier Li and Xi are locked in battle to fill Politburo Standing Committee vacancies with their own supporters


Possible Standing Committee candidates
1 2 3 4

1 Li Zhanshu: Often called Xi’s right-hand man

2 Zhao Leji: Head of department which screens candidates for top government posts

3 Wang Huning: Close to Xi, said to be behind his Chinese Dream campaign – specialist in U.S. politics

4 Liu Qibao: Head of powerful propaganda department – traditional springboard for promotion

Hu Chunhua: Party secretary of Guangdong, regarded as rising star

Wang Yang: Two-term Politburo member

Han Zheng: Shanghai party boss could join Xi’s economic team


Source: Sophia Yan, CNBC Pictures: Associated Press, Getty Images 
© GRAPHIC NEWS