The Communist Party of China is preparing for significant leadership changes that will take place at next year’s congress. At the event, Xi Jinping is expected to retain his position, but a significant portion of leadership roles may be filled by seventh-generation politicians who came of age after the Mao era.
From October 26 to 29, approximately 370 members of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China will hold a plenary session at which, while officially discussing party self-governance, they will in fact determine who will fill key leadership roles. Today, Xi Jinping, who belongs to the fifth generation, is already 73 years old, while his closest associates are predominantly from older generations.
The sixty-year-old politicians of the seventh generation, who did not live through the Mao era, grew up during China’s opening-up, which gives them a unique background for shaping contemporary policy. A key example is the appointment of Zhu Zhongming, who may become Xi’s successor if he succeeds in securing a position on the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee.
Personnel changes, particularly the retirement of older politicians, are creating room for the proportion of seventh-generation representatives in the Central Committee to rise to 40 percent. The politicians’ age could become an advantage at future congresses, given that, under unwritten rules, many will turn 65, forcing them to retire.
The seventh generation is characterized by new educational standards and significant experience in international affairs. Statistics indicate that more than 50% of key young leaders hold doctoral degrees, and many of them were educated at elite institutions. This contrasts with the traditional career paths of older generations, which may suggest a new approach in Chinese politics.
