Judging Xi’s Weakened Position from the Key Points of Politburo Members’ Speeches

On December 26, 2023, members of the CCP Politburo Standing Committee and senior officials in Beijing bowing to the statue of Mao Zedong. Screenshot from a video.)

[People News] According to convention, the CCP Central Committee’s Politburo held its so-called Democratic Life Meeting from December 25 to 26. Although the opening paragraph of the news summary still mentioned that the meeting was to “deeply study and implement Xi Thought,” judging from the key points emphasized in the speeches of Politburo members, Xi Jinping’s position was nevertheless being weakened.

Reports indicated that the Politburo members’ speeches focused on five key points: first, taking the lead in strengthening political loyalty and improving political capability; second, taking the lead in consolidating foundations and strengthening Party spirit; third, taking the lead in respecting the people, respecting the organization, and respecting discipline and law; fourth, taking the lead in working diligently and taking responsibility; and fifth, taking the lead in firmly shouldering responsibility for governing the Party strictly. The core theme was strengthening loyalty to the CCP.

At the same meeting held in December 2024, Politburo members also focused on five key points: first, being more resolute in safeguarding the authority of the Party Central Committee and centralized, unified leadership; second, being more resolute in the value pursuit of serving and benefiting the people; third, being more resolute in implementing the Party Central Committee’s decisions and deployments; fourth, being more resolute in taking the lead in learning, understanding, clarifying, and abiding by discipline; and fifth, being more resolute in fulfilling political responsibility for strictly governing the Party. The core was safeguarding centralized, unified leadership.

Since news of Xi’s stroke emerged after the CCP’s Third Plenum in July 2024, more and more signs have indicated that Xi has already lost military power and that his Party power has weakened. One important manifestation of this weakening of Party power is that the CCP leadership has returned to the Hu Jintao–era model of “centralized, unified leadership,” with Xi’s status as the “sole supreme leader” being diluted. Not only in official media, but also in the speeches of many senior officials, the phrase “safeguarding the authority of the Party Central Committee and centralized, unified leadership” has been unavoidable—including in Xi’s own speeches. The year-end Democratic Life Meeting’s emphasis on this point was intended to convey changes in high-level power dynamics, and the Fourth Plenum held in October further clarified the importance of “centralized, unified leadership.”

From the changes between 2024 and 2025, the CCP’s top leadership has already achieved “centralized, unified leadership,” and what now needs strengthening is senior officials’ loyalty to the CCP.

So, what were the key points Politburo members focused on at the Democratic Life Meetings in the two years before Xi’s incident in 2024?

In 2023, Politburo members’ speeches focused on six key points. First, studying “Xi Thought” with greater consciousness and firmness; second, safeguarding the authority of the Party Central Committee and centralized, unified leadership with greater consciousness and firmness; …

In 2022, Politburo members’ speeches also focused on six key points. First, gaining a deeper understanding of the great significance of studying and implementing the spirit of the Party’s 20th National Congress, and consciously making real efforts and achieving tangible results in comprehensive study, comprehensive grasp, and comprehensive implementation. Second, gaining a deeper understanding of the decisive significance of the “Two Establishes,” and further enhancing ideological, political, and practical consciousness in achieving the “Two Safeguards.” Third, gaining a deeper understanding of the long-term guiding significance of “Xi Thought,” and earnestly using it to arm the mind, guide practice, and advance work; …

In both 2023 and 2022, the focus of Politburo members’ remarks was how to show loyalty to Xi. This was because at that time Xi’s status as the “sole supreme leader” still held, and no one dared challenge his position. However, following Xi’s incident in July 2024, Politburo members’ speeches excluded “Xi Thought” and excluded loyalty to Xi. The only explanation is that Xi’s Party power has weakened.

In addition, the word count of Xi’s concluding remarks this year has been reduced compared with previous years, and Xi’s once “lofty, condescending” tone toward his Politburo colleagues has almost disappeared. It is just that before the play reaches its end, the performance must go on. Aren’t the Politburo members, wearing their masks, getting tired?

(First published by People News) △