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China’s 20th Party Congress
ChinaPolitics

Xi Jinping ally Shi Taifeng to head Chinese Communist Party’s influence machine

  • Politburo newcomer Shi tapped to advance party agenda at home and abroad as head of the United Front Work Department
  • Shi tells staff that implementing ‘the spirit of the 20th party congress’ is now their main political task

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As head of the opaque United Front Work Department, Politburo newcomer Shi Taifeng’s main task is to advance the party’s agenda at home and abroad. Photo: Weibo
Salina Li
Shi Taifeng, a Politburo newcomer and a close ally of Chinese President Xi Jinping, has been confirmed as head of the Communist Party’s United Front Work Department, a signal that Xi intends to give the body a bigger role in his national rejuvenation programme.
Shi, 66, was at a meeting of the department on Thursday in his new role as its party secretary, state media reported. The department is responsible for dealing with Chinese who are not members of the Communist Party, as well as religious organisations and political groups both inside and outside China.

In recent years, the United Front Work Department has been accused of conducting foreign influence campaigns targeting Chinese individuals and groups living outside of China, an accusation Beijing has denied.

In his speech, Shi stressed that studying and implementing the spirit of the 20th party congress, which ended last week, is now the department’s main political task, according to the department’s social media account.

The message aligned with the first group study session of the Politburo held on Tuesday. During that meeting, Xi called on Politburo members to lead by example as China worke to achieve its modernisation goals by the middle of this century.

Shi took over the role from You Quan, who is set to retire and never had a seat in the Politburo.

Shi’s appointment was largely expected after he was promoted to the 24-member Politburo on Sunday. On Wednesday, Beijing also announced the appointment of Li Shulei as the party’s new propaganda chief, and on Thursday former Beijing mayor Chen Jining was announced as Shanghai’s party secretary.

Shi was named president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in May.

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