2022 Year in Review

or if further dramatic geo-political issues arise that would result in global
sanctions, as has happened with the advent of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
LEADERSHIP CHANGES
The First Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC was held
the following day after the conclusion of the 20th National Congress of the
Chinese Communist Party. This is when the CCP’s new leadership was elected.
Unsurprisingly, and unprecedentedly, Xi was granted a third, five-year term.
There were four leadership changes in the Politburo Standing Committee,
which usually reflects the development trend of China in the next five-ten
years and beyond. Two developments from the changes in particular
epitomise Xi’s direction in governance.
Li Qiang
Li Qiang, a senior party official in Shanghai and a former
Chief of Staff to Xi (when Xi was the party leader of the
Zhejiang province), is set to replace outgoing Premier
Li Keqiang. This is extraordinary. Li Keqiang had been in the
role for the past two terms, and with a Western-friendly
worldview, would have made for an easier leader to
negotiate within an international context. However, at the
age of 67 (one year below the normal retirement age), he
was not named in the next iteration of the Politburo and is
expected to retire from politics.
P A G E 1 5
Instead, 63-year-old Li Qiang was appointed to the
Politburo as the next likely premier despite having
no experience in a central-government portfolio,
let alone deputy premier (a normal requirement
for the role of premier). Li was likely
rewarded the role for his past association with
Xi and after having enforced the harsh
months-long lockdowns on Shanghai,
reinforcing the party’s policy on ‘zero-covid’.
P H O T O : K E V I N
F R A Y E R / G E T T Y I M A G E S