• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Senior Leadership

Under China's previous leaders, power bases evolved, such as the Communist Youth League faction of Xi's predecessor Hu Jintao, and the Shanghai faction of former leader Jiang Zemin. The loose coalition of the “Princeling Party” and the “Shanghai Clique,” draws its strength primarily from the children of revolutionary-era senior CCP officials, and from officials with experience in China’s coastal provinces. It is based in a patronage network extending from former CCP General Secretary Jiang Zemin. The second group, the “China Communist Youth League Faction,” [CYL] or “Tuanpai,” is found among supporters of CCP General Secretary Hu Jintao. Many of these officials have direct experience working in the CCP’s nationwide youth organization. They also tend to share experience working in China’s poorer, inland provinces, as well as experience in “Party Affairs” work.

Some argued that China's "princelings," the sons and daughters of prominent Communist Party officials, including many who helped found the PRC, shared a perception that they, as the descendents of those who shed blood in the name of the Communist revolution, had a "right" to continue to lead China and protect the fruits of that revolution. Such a mindset could potentially place the "princelings" at odds with Party members who did not have similar pedigrees, such as President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao and Party members with a CYL background, who were derisively referred to as "shopkeepers' sons." Some princeling families denounce those without revolutionary pedigrees by saying, "While my father was bleeding and dying for China, your father was selling shoelaces."

Since his election as party secretary, Xi rose to become one of China's most powerful leaders in decades. He is now referred to as the "core" of the party and presides over the military and government, as well. In addition to his titles of president, party secretary and head of the Central Military Commission, he also heads a handful of other leading groups that oversee everything from foreign affairs to military reform, internet security and the economy.

On 10 March 2018, China’s communist party rulers smoothly passed an amendment to the constitution that gave the country’s powerful leader Xi Jinping a mandate to serve as president for as long as he wishes, perhaps for life. The current round of amendments is the largest in more than three decades since the current constitution was established. The changes put an end to a once a decade leadership reshuffling process that had become a hallmark of Chinese politics and one of the few predictable elements of the country’s opaque political system.

The amendments also added Xi Jinping’s political thought and vision to the document, a first for any Chinese leader in office since China’s founder Mao Zedong was in power. Changes also asserted in clearer terms than ever the communist party’s absolute authority over all affairs and its position as the only political organization fit to rule China.

During the last round of constitutional amendments in 2004, proposed changes that were much smaller in scope than the current round of changes were allowed to be openly discussed by the public, and deliberations began more than a year before a vote took place. A detailed outline of the specific changes to the articles was released to the public more than two months before a vote was held. The current round of amendments was decided behind closed doors when some 200 senior communist party officials gathered in Beijing in late January. Following the meetings, there was no mention of the proposed amendment to end limits on the president’s term in office. That was only revealed in late February, a week before the meetings began.

The 14th National People's Congress opened in Beijing on 05 March 2023. The congress saw Xi Jinping re-elected as President, or head of state.