China&#39;s ruling Communist Party reveals its new leadership line-up on Wednesday when President Xi Jinping introduces his Politburo Standing Committee, culminating a week-long party congress.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/xi-joins-mao-in-communist-constitution-tightening-grip-on-china-22842">A key measure of Xi&#39;s rising influence leading the world&#39;s second-largest economy</a> will be how many of his allies are installed on the Standing Committee, the apex of power, which is currently made up of seven people, all men, and headed by Xi, who is also party and military chief.

Five members are expected to retire due to an unwritten rule limiting new five-year terms to those under 68.&nbsp;

One of the five, a close Xi ally, the anti-corruption chief Wang Qishan, 69, was left off the new Central Committee, which elects the Standing Committee, but he could get another job a few months down the line, sources have said.

The new line-up will be announced around midday at the first plenum of the congress. The congress itself formally ended on Tuesday, with Xi having his political theory written into the party`s constitution, putting him in the same company as the founder of modern China, Mao Zedong.

Who gets on the new Standing Committee remains a closely guarded secret until Xi leads them out before the media in a room inside central Beijing`s Great Hall of the People, where all top party events take place.

Names in contention include vice-premier Wang Yang, Xi advisers Li Zhanshu and Wang Huning, Shanghai party chief Han Zheng, Guangdong province party boss Hu Chunhua and Zhao Leji, who runs the powerful organisation department that oversees personnel decisions such as promotions and demotions.

Other contenders include Chen Miner, who heads the party in the southwestern city of Chongqing; Beijing party boss Cai Qi; and Jiangsu province party boss Li Qiang, all of whom are close to Xi. Chen and Cai have enjoyed meteoric rises up the party ranks.

Premier Li Keqiang is the only other member of the current Standing Committee apart from Xi who will remain, unless he is unexpectedly left off, which seems unlikely.

Previous party congresses have anointed successors for the roles of party head and premier, with Xi and Li both vaulting on to the Standing Committee in 2007 before they were then further promoted to their current roles in 2012.

Speculation has swirled in Beijing this week that Xi may break with precedent and not appoint an obvious successor, who would have to be young enough to serve three consecutive terms in the Standing Committee.

President Xi Jinping will introduce his Politburo Standing Committee today, culminating a week-long party congress

China's ruling Communist Party reveals its new leadership line-up on Wednesday when President Xi Jinping introduces his Politburo Standing Committee, culminating a week-long party congress. A key measure of Xi's rising influence leading the world's second-largest economy will be how many of his allies are installed on the Standing Committee, the apex of power, which is currently made up of seven people, all men, and headed by Xi, who is also party and military chief. Five members are expected to retire due to an unwritten rule limiting new five-year terms to those under 68. One of the five, a close Xi ally, the anti-corruption chief Wang Qishan, 69, was left off the new Central Committee, which elects the Standing Committee, but he could get another job a few months down the line, sources have said. The new line-up will be announced around midday at the first plenum of the congress. The congress itself formally ended on Tuesday, with Xi having his political theory written into the party`s constitution, putting him in the same company as the founder of modern China, Mao Zedong. Who gets on the new Standing Committee remains a closely guarded secret until Xi leads them out before the media in a room inside central Beijing`s Great Hall of the People, where all top party events take place. Names in contention include vice-premier Wang Yang, Xi advisers Li Zhanshu and Wang Huning, Shanghai party chief Han Zheng, Guangdong province party boss Hu Chunhua and Zhao Leji, who runs the powerful organisation department that oversees personnel decisions such as promotions and demotions. Other contenders include Chen Miner, who heads the party in the southwestern city of Chongqing; Beijing party boss Cai Qi; and Jiangsu province party boss Li Qiang, all of whom are close to Xi. Chen and Cai have enjoyed meteoric rises up the party ranks. Premier Li Keqiang is the only other member of the current Standing Committee apart from Xi who will remain, unless he is unexpectedly left off, which seems unlikely. Previous party congresses have anointed successors for the roles of party head and premier, with Xi and Li both vaulting on to the Standing Committee in 2007 before they were then further promoted to their current roles in 2012. Speculation has swirled in Beijing this week that Xi may break with precedent and not appoint an obvious successor, who would have to be young enough to serve three consecutive terms in the Standing Committee.

China to unveil new leadership line-up as Xi cements power

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/some-communist-party-of-china-cpc-officials-funding-dalai-lama-official-15147" target="_blank">China&#39;s ruling Communist Party</a> will&nbsp;draft&nbsp;a&nbsp;new&nbsp;strategy&nbsp;for&nbsp;development during the next five years, party spokesman Tuo Zhen said on Tuesday.

Tuo was speaking at a briefing a day ahead of the opening of the key, twice-a-decade party congress where President Xi Jinping will map out his ambitions for the country and further tighten his grip on power. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

The 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) will open Wednesday and last seven days, the spokesperson said.&nbsp;

&quot;The 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China will open at 09:00 tomorrow at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The duration of the Congress is from Oct 18 to Oct 24,&quot; said spokesman Tuo Zhen at a press conference.

The Congress is a very important meeting held when China is striving for its final victory for achieving a moderately prosperous society in an all-around way and at a critical time for the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics, said Tuo.

A preparatory meeting of the congress held on Tuesday afternoon has set the agenda for the Congress, the spokesman said.

&quot;The main agenda of the Congress are: to hear and examine the report submitted by the 18th CPC Central Committee; to examine the report on the work of the 18th CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection; to deliberate and adopt the amendment to the Constitution of the Communist Party of China; to elect the Party&#39;s 19th Central Committee and 19th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection,&quot; said Tuo.

The preparatory meeting approved a proposed list of members for a presidium. The congress will proceed under the leadership of the presidium. A secretariat has been set up to handle affairs of the Congress, with Liu Yunshan serving as its secretary-general, Tuo said.

Following the preparatory meeting, the credentials committee held a meeting, and the Presidium met for the first time where it adopted the detailed agenda for the Congress and elected its standing committee, the spokesman said.

The qualifications of all the 2,280 delegates to the Congress, elected from 40 electoral units across the country, have been confirmed valid after the examination of the credentials committee. They will attend the Congress on behalf of more than 4.5 million primary Party organizations and over 89 million Party members.

&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/watch-china-blocks-whatsapp-ahead-of-communist-party-meeting-20683" target="_blank">Also Watch: China blocks WhatsApp ahead of Communist Party meeting</a>

Party spokesman Tuo Zhen said China's ruling Communist Party will draft a new strategy for development during the next five years

China's ruling Communist Party will draft a new strategy for development during the next five years, party spokesman Tuo Zhen said on Tuesday. Tuo was speaking at a briefing a day ahead of the opening of the key, twice-a-decade party congress where President Xi Jinping will map out his ambitions for the country and further tighten his grip on power. The 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) will open Wednesday and last seven days, the spokesperson said. "The 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China will open at 09:00 tomorrow at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The duration of the Congress is from Oct 18 to Oct 24," said spokesman Tuo Zhen at a press conference. The Congress is a very important meeting held when China is striving for its final victory for achieving a moderately prosperous society in an all-around way and at a critical time for the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics, said Tuo. A preparatory meeting of the congress held on Tuesday afternoon has set the agenda for the Congress, the spokesman said. "The main agenda of the Congress are: to hear and examine the report submitted by the 18th CPC Central Committee; to examine the report on the work of the 18th CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection; to deliberate and adopt the amendment to the Constitution of the Communist Party of China; to elect the Party's 19th Central Committee and 19th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection," said Tuo. The preparatory meeting approved a proposed list of members for a presidium. The congress will proceed under the leadership of the presidium. A secretariat has been set up to handle affairs of the Congress, with Liu Yunshan serving as its secretary-general, Tuo said. Following the preparatory meeting, the credentials committee held a meeting, and the Presidium met for the first time where it adopted the detailed agenda for the Congress and elected its standing committee, the spokesman said. The qualifications of all the 2,280 delegates to the Congress, elected from 40 electoral units across the country, have been confirmed valid after the examination of the credentials committee. They will attend the Congress on behalf of more than 4.5 million primary Party organizations and over 89 million Party members. Also Watch: China blocks WhatsApp ahead of Communist Party meeting

China will draft new strategy for development: Communist Party

To the Catholic Church, French missionary Auguste Chapdelaine is a saint, martyred for his faith 160 years ago in China. To Communist Party officials, he is a devilish rapist, bandit and spy. 
 
Finishing touches are being put to a new museum in Dingan, the village where he died, celebrating the &quot;patriotism&quot; of his execution and condemning the &quot;spiritual opium&quot; of religion.&nbsp; 
 
Inside, Catholic vestments and chalices are displayed near a life-sized diorama of a white-robed Chapdelaine kneeling before the Qing dynasty magistrate who had him tortured and killed. 
 
Outside, a six metre bronze mural shows the missionary confined in a cage designed to suffocate captives to death over several days.&nbsp; 
 
The facility is part of a local tourism drive, but also fits into the ruling party&#39;s nationalist narrative and comes as increasingly assertive authorities in Beijing decry the influence of &quot;Western values&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
Chapdelaine was accused of fomenting insurrection, say independent historians&nbsp; 
 
Chapdelaine, born on a farm in Normandy, was ordained in his early twenties and sent in the early 1850s to the southern Chinese region of Guangxi, where he was known as &#39;Father Ma&#39;. 
 
In 1856, he was arrested with several Chinese believers in Dingan by the newly appointed magistrate, Zhang Mingfeng. 
 
Foreigners were banned from entering the area and official suspicion of Christians was fuelled by the bloody Taiping rebellion, begun in Guangxi by a man claiming to be Jesus&#39; brother and costing millions of lives. 
 
Independent historians say Chapdelaine was accused of fomenting insurrection, refused to pay a bribe, and died aged 42 following three days of torture. He was posthumously decapitated and his head hung from a tree. 
 
Chapdelaine&#39;s death was among the stated justifications for France&#39;s participation in the Second Opium War, which saw French and British troops loot Beijing`s Old Summer Palace and burn it to the ground, one of the national humiliations the Communist Party emphasises to support its legitimacy.&nbsp; 
 
In 2000, the Vatican canonised Chapdelaine and two of his executed followers as martyrs. 
 
In response, Chinese state media attacked the priest as a French spy and rapist of local women -- charges which scholars say have no historical grounding, but which have been given new life by the local government&#39;s publicity push. 
 
&quot;He was evil,&quot; said a middle-aged man working at the project site who refused to give his name. &quot;He was the reason you invaded us,&quot; he added.&nbsp; 
 
&#39;Father Ma was not a simple missionary&#39;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
As well as the museum in Dingan, a dusty mountain village, local authorities mounted a poetry contest last year offering 1,000 Yuan ($150) prizes for couplets to &quot;boost patriotic spirit&quot; and praise magistrate Zhang as an &quot;iron-willed hero&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
County officials have contracted a film company to produce a two-hour documentary on Chapdelaine for 3 million Yuan ($460,000). 
 
&quot;Father Ma was not a simple missionary,&quot; the firm`s CEO Liang Shuikang told AFP. &quot;His so-called `baptism` was taking other people`s wives and sleeping with them first,&quot; he underlined.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We are going to restore the true story of history,&quot; Shuikang&nbsp;said, adding the documentary`s goal was to have people remember China&#39;s sufferings and &quot;make the motherland into a great power&quot;.&nbsp;Some scholars worry that history is being abused.&nbsp; 
 
There is no doubt Chapdelaine`s death was exploited for imperialist gain, but Anthony Clark, China historian at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington, said the ruling party&#39;s version of history was &quot;largely contrived&quot;. 
 
The ideas that Chapdelaine was &quot;a lascivious womaniser&quot; and spy in priest&#39;s robes were &quot;unsupportable in any historical records&quot;, he added.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;China&#39;s official state rhetoric has grown progressively nationalistic in recent years,&quot; Clark pointed out.&nbsp; 
 
&#39;Chapdelaine&#39;s killing violated Qing dynasty laws&#39; 
 
Other scholars note that official records suggest Chapdelaine had been confused with a bandit, Ma Zinong, who shared the same Chinese surname. 
 
Chinese historians are also concerned. Yuan Weishi, historian and retired professor at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, said Chapdelaine&#39;s killing violated Qing dynasty laws and was &quot;a shame to China&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Nationalist sentiment&quot; had risen alongside China&#39;s economic growth and some academics felt obliged to follow official propaganda, he added. &quot;They promote under the name of patriotism what they think are heroic deeds by China,&quot; he said, but doing so was &quot;wrong and ignorant&quot;. In the cliffside village of Changjing, where Chapdelaine lived and preached a few kilometres from Dingan, the residents are still mostly Catholic and say they are puzzled by the publicity drive. 
 
&quot;They believe he`s an evil man, but we don`t see him that way,&quot; said a young farmer named Yang. &quot;How could he be a spy?&quot; he questions.&nbsp; 
 
In Dingan itself, a priest named Father Wei leads a small, aging congregation of roughly 100 Catholics. Performing mass for ten believers in a church on the second floor of a building a short walk from the new museum, he offered a prayer for Chapdelaine, asking for strength to keep the faith.&nbsp; 
 
Local authorities were relentlessly hostile to the church, he said. &quot;It`s because it`s an atheist country,&quot; he said. &quot;They&#39;re tricking ordinary people.&quot; 
 
Non-Catholics refuse to enter the church because of the stigma around Chapdelaine, he added.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;How could Father Ma be that bad? People think that just because of the propaganda, but it makes life difficult for us.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

Missionary Auguste Chapdelaine's death was among the stated justifications for France's participation in the Second Opium War

To the Catholic Church, French missionary Auguste Chapdelaine is a saint, martyred for his faith 160 years ago in China. To Communist Party officials, he is a devilish rapist, bandit and spy. Finishing touches are being put to a new museum in Dingan, the village where he died, celebrating the "patriotism" of his execution and condemning the "spiritual opium" of religion. Inside, Catholic vestments and chalices are displayed near a life-sized diorama of a white-robed Chapdelaine kneeling before the Qing dynasty magistrate who had him tortured and killed. Outside, a six metre bronze mural shows the missionary confined in a cage designed to suffocate captives to death over several days. The facility is part of a local tourism drive, but also fits into the ruling party's nationalist narrative and comes as increasingly assertive authorities in Beijing decry the influence of "Western values". Chapdelaine was accused of fomenting insurrection, say independent historians Chapdelaine, born on a farm in Normandy, was ordained in his early twenties and sent in the early 1850s to the southern Chinese region of Guangxi, where he was known as 'Father Ma'. In 1856, he was arrested with several Chinese believers in Dingan by the newly appointed magistrate, Zhang Mingfeng. Foreigners were banned from entering the area and official suspicion of Christians was fuelled by the bloody Taiping rebellion, begun in Guangxi by a man claiming to be Jesus' brother and costing millions of lives. Independent historians say Chapdelaine was accused of fomenting insurrection, refused to pay a bribe, and died aged 42 following three days of torture. He was posthumously decapitated and his head hung from a tree. Chapdelaine's death was among the stated justifications for France's participation in the Second Opium War, which saw French and British troops loot Beijing`s Old Summer Palace and burn it to the ground, one of the national humiliations the Communist Party emphasises to support its legitimacy. In 2000, the Vatican canonised Chapdelaine and two of his executed followers as martyrs. In response, Chinese state media attacked the priest as a French spy and rapist of local women -- charges which scholars say have no historical grounding, but which have been given new life by the local government's publicity push. "He was evil," said a middle-aged man working at the project site who refused to give his name. "He was the reason you invaded us," he added. 'Father Ma was not a simple missionary' As well as the museum in Dingan, a dusty mountain village, local authorities mounted a poetry contest last year offering 1,000 Yuan ($150) prizes for couplets to "boost patriotic spirit" and praise magistrate Zhang as an "iron-willed hero". County officials have contracted a film company to produce a two-hour documentary on Chapdelaine for 3 million Yuan ($460,000). "Father Ma was not a simple missionary," the firm`s CEO Liang Shuikang told AFP. "His so-called `baptism` was taking other people`s wives and sleeping with them first," he underlined. "We are going to restore the true story of history," Shuikang said, adding the documentary`s goal was to have people remember China's sufferings and "make the motherland into a great power". Some scholars worry that history is being abused. There is no doubt Chapdelaine`s death was exploited for imperialist gain, but Anthony Clark, China historian at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington, said the ruling party's version of history was "largely contrived". The ideas that Chapdelaine was "a lascivious womaniser" and spy in priest's robes were "unsupportable in any historical records", he added. "China's official state rhetoric has grown progressively nationalistic in recent years," Clark pointed out. 'Chapdelaine's killing violated Qing dynasty laws' Other scholars note that official records suggest Chapdelaine had been confused with a bandit, Ma Zinong, who shared the same Chinese surname. Chinese historians are also concerned. Yuan Weishi, historian and retired professor at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, said Chapdelaine's killing violated Qing dynasty laws and was "a shame to China". "Nationalist sentiment" had risen alongside China's economic growth and some academics felt obliged to follow official propaganda, he added. "They promote under the name of patriotism what they think are heroic deeds by China," he said, but doing so was "wrong and ignorant". In the cliffside village of Changjing, where Chapdelaine lived and preached a few kilometres from Dingan, the residents are still mostly Catholic and say they are puzzled by the publicity drive. "They believe he`s an evil man, but we don`t see him that way," said a young farmer named Yang. "How could he be a spy?" he questions. In Dingan itself, a priest named Father Wei leads a small, aging congregation of roughly 100 Catholics. Performing mass for ten believers in a church on the second floor of a building a short walk from the new museum, he offered a prayer for Chapdelaine, asking for strength to keep the faith. Local authorities were relentlessly hostile to the church, he said. "It`s because it`s an atheist country," he said. "They're tricking ordinary people." Non-Catholics refuse to enter the church because of the stigma around Chapdelaine, he added. "How could Father Ma be that bad? People think that just because of the propaganda, but it makes life difficult for us." (AFP)

French missionary 'saint' for Catholic Church, ' rapist' for Communist China