Hard times: China’s challenges demand bigger role for centralised leadership, says Communist Party mouthpiece
State media have sought to justify attempts to consolidate Xi Jinping as the “core” of the Communist Party’s leadership, arguing that expanded centralised authority is needed to meet the complex and arduous challenges facing the country.
An article released on Wednesday night through the WeChat account operated by the overseas edition of People’s Daily said Xi would have more “authority and commitment” to “reshape China’s political landscape” and “take overall responsibility for various party tasks”.
It follows a series of moves in recent weeks to define Xi as the “core of the party’s leadership”, tactics that have raised concerns the party is deviating from the long-standing collective, consensus-driven model.
The article, penned by member of a writers group called “the Study Group”, elaborated on a statement issued after a Politburo meeting last month.
That statement demanded that party officials “enhance their political awareness and view of the general situation”, maintain loyalty to the leadership “core”, and “align” with the leadership under Xi.
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Xi has also issued rallying calls to his colleagues in both the elite 25-member Politburo and the innermost seven-strong Standing Committee, urging them to unite behind him in “thought and action”.
