It is one of the political fiefdoms of the Chinese president, since from there he promotes his allies to the highest positions in the state. Wang Xiaohong is now the national security czar and can control Xi’s rivals. The Fujian faction also has a foot in the Central Military Commission. His rise is threatened by Xi’s protégés in Zhejiang and those of Premier Li Keqiang.
Beijing () – The province of Fujian, in southwestern China, today occupies a leading role on the national scene. From one of his two political fiefdoms (the other is Zhejiang), President Xi Jinping is promoting his political allies to the highest offices of state, ahead of the 20th Congress of the Chinese Communist Party in the fall.
Xi protégés climb the echelons of power in Fujian and this impacts the upper echelons of the army. The province has a strategic role in the geopolitical calculations of the supreme leader: off its shores is Taiwan, which Xi wants to reunify with mainland China at all costs.
The most significant promotion is that of Wang Xiaohong, who became Minister of Public Security. Until his recent appointment, Wang held the position of deputy minister in the same dicastery. His career includes a position as deputy mayor of Beijing, responsible for the city’s security.
Wang will supervise all police forces and secret services. Facing the power games that will precede the 20th Congress, the fact that one of his henchmen is occupying this role reinforces Xi’s ability to control: now Wang will be able to keep an eye on all of his mentor’s rivals in the Party. .
Xi goes to Congress somewhat weakened by the country’s economic performance, which has been less than stellar in the past year. Analysts expect the president (and Party General Secretary) to reach an agreement with Premier Li Keqiang for a third term in power. With this, a rule that establishes that the leader at the head of the nation has a maximum limit of two consecutive terms of five years would be broken.
Since 2017, the Fujian faction close to Xi already has its own man in the highest ranks of the Armed Forces. This is another protégé of the president, Miao Hua, who heads the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission (led by Xi). The Miao-led body is responsible for the political and ideological education of officers and troops.
The province’s military importance in Xi’s plans is hinted at by the fact that he has given his name to a brand-new aircraft carrier, the third in the Chinese Navy. The Fujian is considered superior to the previous two (the Liaoning and the Shandong) and a central asset in the event of an invasion of Taiwan.
as pointed out Asian Nikkei, it is not certain that the Fujian faction will be able to place its men in the two main organs of power of the Party: the Central Committee and its Standing Committee (much more important and restricted to seven posts). In addition to the challenge from Li’s Communist Youth, Xi will have to take into account his allies in Zhejiang, as well as demands coming from the leadership of the four autonomous municipalities of Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing and Tianjin.
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