After 20th Congress, China under XI likely to see increase in totalitarianism

The Chinese authorities censored every aspect of the drama surrounding the forced removal of the former Chinese President from the Great Hall from social media and news websites.

China: While Xi Jinping was successful in securing a third term as General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, the 20th National Congress will be remembered for the embarrassing incidents that occurred at the beginning and end of the party's once-every-five-year important meeting at the Great Hall in Beijing.

While anti-Xi banners were hung from an overbridge in Beijing two days before the weeklong National Congress, ex-President Hu Jintao was forcibly escorted out of the Great Hall in full view of international media on the last day of the meeting.

The Chinese authorities censored every aspect of the drama surrounding the forced removal of the former Chinese President from the Great Hall from social media and news websites.

On October 22, there was no official comment on Hu Jintao's unexpected removal from the dais in the Great Hall for the next 12 hours, but on October 23, China's state-backed media outlet Xinhua issued an explanation, stating that the former President was "not feeling well" and that was the reason for his removal.

Those who know China and the CPC will not buy such arguments, as Hu Jintao, who was hauled out of the National Congress's closing session, had previously attended the Congress's closed-door session the same day.

\The former Chinese President appeared frail, but he never complained about his health.

In this context, and in a highly choreographed procedure in which everything from serving tea to delivering programme details to delegates is pre-rehearsed, ushering out the reluctant 79-year-old ex-President from the highly important session set many tongues wagging.

Particularly when delegates were asked to support the party's work report during a closed session open to journalists.

Hu Jintao, in fact, belonged to the faction-ridden CPC's 'Tuanpai' or Youth League Group, which has opposed President Xi Jinping's zero-Covid approach and economic policy. Last year, the group opposed a crackdown on tech behemoths.

According to media reports, Xi Jinping's 'Princeling' faction has frequently faced criticism from the 'Tuanpai' faction for rising anti-China sentiments around the world. Li Keqiang, who was removed from the CPC's Politburo Standing Committee, a group of seven of China's most powerful leaders, belonged to the 'Tuanpai' faction.

However, because nothing moves in the party without Xi Jinping's approval, the removal of Hu Jintao at the National Congress's closing session must have occurred after due notice from the party's boss.

That is, Xi Jinping, who was concerned about Hu Jintao's position on political and economic issues, did not want any dissenting voice from his predecessor during the closing session.

To avoid this, the ex-President was whisked away from the crucial National Congress session in full view of international media. Some experts believe the incident was staged on purpose to humiliate the elderly party leader, who presided over China's high-octane economic growth from 2003 to 2013.

During his presidency, the 2008 Beijing Olympics were successfully organised. During his regime, China's openness to the world aided foreign companies in establishing manufacturing bases in the East Asian country; tourists flocked; local media outlets were not as tightly controlled as they are today; and China's international reputation was positive.

Hu Jintao was also credited with running a much more collective leadership and for using the Politburo Standing Committee to balance various factions.

Hu Jintao thus represented a different model than his successor, Xi Jinping. Despite the fact that the CPC recently issued a statement warning senior party figures to keep quiet about top-level policy discussions, avoid making politically negative remarks, refrain from influence peddling, and vehemently oppose and resist all forms of erroneous thinking.

On economic, social, and political issues, Hu Jintao and other senior party leaders refused to follow Xi Jinping's lead.

They were opposed to breaking the CPC's long-held practise of limiting the general secretaryship to two terms. They were impeding Xi Jinping's ambition to become a powerful leader.

Given that all of those, including Li Keqiang, have been pushed out of the party's top positions and the Politburo Standing Committee has been stacked with Xi Jinping's supporters, the party has formally closed the channels of reform and openness that marked it during Hu Jintao's presidency.

Whatever one says about the CPC's 20th National Congress, the party's mass meeting will be remembered for controversies. In the coming days, Xi Jinping is expected to launch a crackdown on his opponents in the name of an anti-corruption drive to suppress dissent, but this will make China more authoritarian and regimented.

It means that during Xi Jinping's regime, China will become more challenging to the world—economically, politically, and strategically.