NOW that the proverbial dust has settled over the 19th Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), it is time to weigh the implications of its new, much-anticipated leadership structure.
Much had been said about Xi Jinping’s stronger positions as CPC General Secretary, Chairman of the Central Military Commission and President of the People’s Republic of China. Perhaps too much had been speculated on Xi’s enlarged powers. As a result, the composition of the Politburo Standing Committee (PSC) as the top tier of leadership has seemed surprising to many.