2022 Year in Review

Wang Huning
Wang Huning’s promotion from the fifth to the fourth highest-ranking official
manifests Xi’s vision to carve out his political ideology in China’s history
books. Wang is a political theorist who has helped shape the past three
president’s ideologies from behind the scenes. Notably within Xi’s
administration, he has helped craft national concepts such as ‘The Chinese
Dream’, the Belt and Road Initiative, and ‘Xi Jinping Thought’. With Wang likely
to assume the role of Chairman of the People’s Political Consultative
Conference, he will lead the interface between the CCP and the non-Party
elements of Chinese society, and even the Chinese diaspora in countries such
as Canada and Australia. With the promotion into this new role and his
extensive background in shaping strategic party ideologies, he will be in a
very influential position to extend the party’s policies beyond the domestic
political context.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR
AUSTRALIA?
For Australians, the announcements made in the 20th
Party Congress will pose no significant changes in the
short term. However, Australia’s economic performance is
closely linked with China’s. The strategic and
leadership adjustments may cast light on what to
expect for our economic relationship with China
in the coming years.
P H O T O : T I N G S H U
W A N G / R E U T E R S
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One example is the Dual Circulation Economy, which
intends to promote internal economic growth. One way the
Party plans to stimulate the economy is through a top-down
approach by spending money on infrastructure such as
high speed railways, bridges, and other big public works,
which would inevitably require raw materials such as
Australia’s iron ore. This is showcased by the top three
Chinese imports in September 2020; iron and steel
(55.8 per cent), paper (34.8 per cent), and non-ferrous
metals (33.1 per cent).