Communist Party reforms in China suggest an increasing distribution of authority to Xi Jinping's deputies
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has recently implemented significant changes in its governance structure, with the 24-member Politburo under the leadership of Xi Jinping, reviewing new regulations aimed at standardising the decision-making and policy coordination processes among various party organs [1][3].
These organs, which include central commissions and leading groups, have been either established or empowered during Xi's tenure, and the new regulations clarify their roles, with a focus on "planning, discussing, and checking on major matters" more systematically [1][3].
Analysts view these changes as Xi potentially delegating more authority to his deputies, which could be interpreted as a strategic move towards preparing for eventual leadership transition or succession, as Xi is now in his third term and over the typical retirement age precedent of 68 for Politburo members [1][2].
Since the CCP has a tradition of leadership changes every five years at its National Party Congress and expects elder Politburo members to step down by age 68, Xi's continued hold on power beyond this age is unusual. The formalization of roles and delegations among deputies could hint at an evolving succession plan where power transfer is more collective and institutionalised rather than concentrated solely on Xi [1][2][4].
However, despite attempts at creating a more collective leadership, Xi Jinping remains preeminent as "Chairman of Everything" after his unprecedented third term. How the CCP manages to "decentralise" this concentration of power in the future remains a key challenge amid China’s growing political and economic pressures [4].
Reports from mid-2025 suggest unusual irregularities in CCP operations, including a missed Politburo meeting and signals that Xi's influence may have declined somewhat within elite circles, as seen in the replacement of senior officials with lower-ranking figures. These irregularities could further indicate a transition phase or internal balancing in the party elite [5].
The new regulations, introduced by the state news agency Xinhua, aim to standardise the policy coordination and review process at the top, with the Communist Party's "party central commissions" and "party leading groups" being the entities primarily concerned [1][3]. These entities, which are significant within the Communist Party structure, have been influential during Xi's tenure within the party [1][2][4].
In summary, the recent Politburo reforms likely reflect an effort to formalise governance structures, improve policy coordination, and gradually delegate authority, which can be seen as preparatory steps for eventual leadership succession. While Xi Jinping’s dominance remains strong, these changes suggest an evolving CCP strategy to institutionalise power transitions more smoothly, possibly to maintain party stability and control amid domestic and international challenges [1][3][4][5].
The new regulations, introduced by the state news agency Xinhua, are part of policy-and-legislation intended to standardize the policy coordination and review process at the top, focusing on the Communist Party's central commissions and leading groups, significant entities within the Communist Party structure. Analysts view these changes as politics aimed at potential delegation of more authority to Xi Jinping's deputies, which could indicate a strategic move in the general-news of the CCP's evolving succession plan, as Xi's continued hold on power beyond the typical retirement age precedent is unusual.
