When China's Vice President Xi Jinping went missing, there was fierce speculation about this whereabouts. Was he injured? Did he suffer a heart attack? Or did pressures from within the party force him to cancel meetings with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other world leaders? Jinping made a public appearance on Saturday after a two week break.
Why the frenzy over his absence? In the last few years, Jinping has emerged as the top candidate to lead the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC). The CPC appoints its leaders for a 10-year term, and it is time for a leadership change. The current President Hu Jintao will be stepping down in mid-October. If Jinping succeeds as Chairman of CPC, he will be the next President of China.
China’s Political System
China has a complex, centralized and unified single party system. Unlike the US which is a two-party system, the Communist Party of China is the only party in China. With a membership of over 80 million, it is the biggest political party in the world and has ruled the country since 1949.
CPC operates in a shroud of secrecy and manages the country with an iron hand. It oversees and influences the lives of all its people, including the programs they watch, their jobs and housing and even how many children they are allowed. The party does not tolerate opposition and ruthlessly puts down any protests.
Joining the party brings special privileges such as schooling, jobs and better information. A member can rise up the chain of command in the party through patronage, personal relationships and survival skills. At the top of the pyramid is the National People’s Congress (NPC).
Politburo - The Decision Makers
The NPC appoints a central committee of officers who are chosen in advance. The committee in turn selects the 24-member Politburo -- the secretive and powerful decision center of the party.
Every significant decision that affects the 1.3 billion people of China, is first discussed and decided by the politburo. Within the politburo, a nine-member committee controls the main power. The Politburo has control over the country's military, Congress (or Parliament), and the State council that administers the affairs of the country. The internal workings of the politburo are secret and unclear. However decisions are reached via consensus or by the majority. Once a decision is taken, everybody is bound by it.
China rivals the US as a powerful player in world politics, and has the fastest growing and the second largest economy in the world. As you can imagine, the entire world will be watching the decision that will be made by the all-important Politburo. Will Jinping, who has made efforts to forge relationships with world leaders, be the one?
Sources: BBC
From: Youngzine
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