Chinese Whispers: a look ahead to the 20th Party Congress

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🗓️ 3 October 2022

⏱️ 58 minutes

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Summary

In this episode of Chinese Whispers, we look ahead to the 20th National Party Congress, where senior members will gather to review the future direction of the party and unveil new leaders. What should China-watchers expect? Will Xi be able to fill the standing committee with those loyal to him?

To discuss this important moment in the communist calendar is author of the Sinocism substack Bill Bishop and Professor Victor Shih, expert in Chinese elite politics and author of the new book Coalitions of the Weak.

If you enjoy this podcast, you can now register your interest for an upcoming Chinese Whispers newsletter, at www.spectator.co.uk/whispers.

Transcript

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0:00.0	The Spectator magazine combines incisive political analysis with books and arts reviews of unrivaled authority. Absolutely free. Go to spectator.com.uk forward slash voucher.
0:31.0	Hello and welcome to Chinese Whispers with me, Cindy Yu.
0:34.4	Every episode, I'll be talking to journalists, experts and long-time China
0:37.8	watches about the latest in Chinese politics, society and more. There'll be a smattering
0:43.0	of history to catch you up on the background knowledge and some context as well. How do the
0:47.4	Chinese see these issues? Every five years, Beijing goes into heightened security as senior
0:53.4	members of the Chinese Communist Party gather.
0:56.0	The National Party Congress is an occasion for the party to review its track record and determine its future direction,
1:02.0	but most crucially it is a moment to unveil future leaders.
1:06.0	Older members of the seven-member Politburo Standing Committee are retired while fresh blood is brought in,
1:12.4	including at the very top, the general secretary. Under a norm set down by Den Xiaoping,
1:17.0	this general secretary is meant to be changed to every other Congress, in other words, every 10 years.
1:22.8	But at this upcoming Congress, most China watchers expect Xi Jinping to remain in position,
1:28.2	beginning his third term in power, and he'll try to pack the standing committee with his own
1:32.7	allies. So to look ahead to this important event in the communist calendar, with me today
1:39.7	are two distinguished and clued in guests. But before I introduce them, I also just want to do a little
1:45.7	housekeeping. If you enjoy what we do here at Chinese Whispers, then you might also enjoy an upcoming
1:51.5	Chinese Whispers newsletter. It'll be written by me and it'll be everything you love about the
1:56.4	podcast, rounding up the latest cultural and political headlines from China with, of course, a smattering
2:02.3	of history. If you'd like to sign up for free, go to spectator.co.com.uk forward slash whispers.
2:08.9	Now then, my guest today are Bill Bishop and Professor Victor Shee. Bill runs the fantastic
2:13.4	cynicism newsletter, a regular roundup of the must-know political and economic news from China,
	...

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