China’s former Premier Li Keqiang has died at the age of 68, according to the Chinese state media reports. The cause of his death is said to be a sudden heart attack.&nbsp;

The former Chinese premier and head of China’s cabinet served under President Xi Jinping for a decade starting in 2013 before his retirement earlier this year.&nbsp;

<h2>What happened?</h2>

According to the state media, he was in Shanghai on a holiday when he suffered a sudden heart attack and passed away the next day.&nbsp;

“Comrade Li Keqiang, while resting in Shanghai in recent days, experienced a sudden heart attack on Oct. 26 and after all-out efforts to revive him failed, died in Shanghai at ten minutes past midnight on Oct. 27,” said state broadcaster CCTV.&nbsp;

<h2>His political career</h2>

Between 2013-23, Li was said to be China’s No. 2 leader but had increasingly been sidelined in recent years by Xi who has steered the world’s second-largest economy in a more statist direction.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-is-executing-soldiers-who-are-refusing-orders-in-new-ukraine-says-white-house-651710">Russia is ‘executing soldiers’ who are refusing orders in Ukraine, says White House</a>

Li, who served as the country’s premier – &nbsp;traditionally in charge of the economy – was an English-speaking economist and&nbsp;was once considered a contender to take over after then-Communist Party leader Hu Jintao in 2013 but was passed over in favour of Xi.

Notably, the elite economist was seen as a supporter of a more liberal market economy.&nbsp;

In 2014, in his first annual policy address, he was reportedly praised for promising to pursue market-oriented reform, cut government waste, and get rid of corruption that was undermining public faith in the Communist Party.

He once served as a provincial leader in Henan in central China between 1998 and 2004. However, his term was marred by his reputation for bad luck after three fatal fires struck Henan during his time in office as well as an accusation of cracking down after an AIDS scandal.&nbsp;

<h2>About Li</h2>

Li was born on July 1, 1955, in the eastern province of Anhui, a poor farming area where his father was an official. He went on to study at the prestigious Peking University.&nbsp;

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During this time, Li befriended several pro-democracy advocates, some of whom would go on to directly challenge the party’s control.&nbsp;

Following his graduation, Li joined the Communist Party’s Youth League from where he climbed the ladder to higher office. At the time, Li was also completing a master’s degree in law and went on to pursue an economics doctorate under Professor Li Yining, a well-known advocate of market reforms.

(With inputs from agencies)

China’s former Premier Li Keqiang has died at the age of 68, according to the Chinese state media reports. The cause of his death is said to be a sudden heart attack.

China’s former Premier Li Keqiang has died at the age of 68, according to the Chinese state media reports. The cause of his death is said to be a sudden heart attack. The former Chinese premier and head of China’s cabinet served under President Xi Jinping for a decade starting in 2013 before his retirement earlier this year. What happened? According to the state media, he was in Shanghai on a holiday when he suffered a sudden heart attack and passed away the next day. “Comrade Li Keqiang, while resting in Shanghai in recent days, experienced a sudden heart attack on Oct. 26 and after all-out efforts to revive him failed, died in Shanghai at ten minutes past midnight on Oct. 27,” said state broadcaster CCTV. His political career Between 2013-23, Li was said to be China’s No. 2 leader but had increasingly been sidelined in recent years by Xi who has steered the world’s second-largest economy in a more statist direction. ALSO READ | Russia is ‘executing soldiers’ who are refusing orders in Ukraine, says White House Li, who served as the country’s premier – traditionally in charge of the economy – was an English-speaking economist and was once considered a contender to take over after then-Communist Party leader Hu Jintao in 2013 but was passed over in favour of Xi. Notably, the elite economist was seen as a supporter of a more liberal market economy. In 2014, in his first annual policy address, he was reportedly praised for promising to pursue market-oriented reform, cut government waste, and get rid of corruption that was undermining public faith in the Communist Party. He once served as a provincial leader in Henan in central China between 1998 and 2004. However, his term was marred by his reputation for bad luck after three fatal fires struck Henan during his time in office as well as an accusation of cracking down after an AIDS scandal. About Li Li was born on July 1, 1955, in the eastern province of Anhui, a poor farming area where his father was an official. He went on to study at the prestigious Peking University. ALSO READ | Maine mass shooting suspect still at large, Governor Janet Mills calls it 'a dark day' During this time, Li befriended several pro-democracy advocates, some of whom would go on to directly challenge the party’s control. Following his graduation, Li joined the Communist Party’s Youth League from where he climbed the ladder to higher office. At the time, Li was also completing a master’s degree in law and went on to pursue an economics doctorate under Professor Li Yining, a well-known advocate of market reforms. (With inputs from agencies)

China's former Premier Li Keqiang dies at 68: State media

After securing an unprecedented third five-year term as the general secretary of the Communist Party, Xi Jinping unveiled the new seven-member Politburo Standing Committee—the country’s top ruling body—headed by him.

Among the seven members, four are considered to be close allies of Xi, including two of his former secretaries. Notably, none of them are females—a first in 25 years.

Experts say that the appointment of his allies showed a complete hold of Xi, who has rewarded his allies solely based on their loyalty.

Here are the men who will be ruling Beijing for the next five years.

<h2>Xi Jinping</h2>

On Sunday, the 69-year-old was re-elected as general secretary of the Communist Party, for the third time, making him the most powerful leader since Mao Zedong.

His elevation will make sure that he secures a third term as the Chinese president at the government's annual legislative sessions next March.

In 2018, the Chinese leader had abolished the presidential two-term limit, paving the way for him to govern indefinitely.

<h2>Li Qiang</h2>

Considered one of Xi's favourites, the former Shanghai party chief was promoted to number two in the party hierarchy, replacing Li Keqiang, who will retire next year.

Li—who oversaw a harsh two-month COVID-19 lockdown in the metropolis earlier this year—will likely be named premier at next March's legislative sessions.

"This showcases to everyone that loyalty rather than popularity is the key for your promotion,"&nbsp;tweeted Yang Zhang, an assistant professor at American University in Washington.

"The disaster of Shanghai Lockdown did not stop Li's elevation precisely because he followed&nbsp;Xi's order despite all criticism."

<h2>Zhao Leji</h2>

The 65-year-old former head of the party's top anti-corruption watchdog was promoted to number three in the party hierarchy.

<h2>Wang Huning</h2>

Dubbed Xi's ideology tsar or the "brains behind the throne", the 67-year-old former university professor has been promoted to number four in the party lineup.

He has devised ideologies for three current and former Chinese presidents, and is the architect of Xi's "China Dream" slogan, as well as the country's more assertive foreign policy.

<h2>Cai Qi</h2>

The present Beijing party chief has been promoted to the Standing Committee and becomes the head of the General Secretariat, managing the day-to-day affairs of the party, according to a member list released by&nbsp;Xinhua.

Also read&nbsp; |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/the-world-needs-china-says-xi-jinping-after-being-elected-as-the-general-secretary-527698" hreflang="en">'The world needs China,' says Xi after being elected as the general secretary</a>

The 66-year-old is seen as a close political ally of&nbsp;Xi&nbsp;due to his time working under him in the provinces of Zhejiang and Fujian.

<h2>Ding Xuexiang</h2>

One of the top aides of Xi, Ding has been promoted to the Standing Committee.

The 60-year-old regularly accompanies&nbsp;Xi&nbsp;on official engagements, becoming a familiar face hovering in the background of state media reports, never far from his boss.

<h2>Li&nbsp;Xi</h2>

Li, believed to be a confidant of Xi, was appointed to the Standing Committee—an appointment widely expected by experts.

The 66-year-old has known Xi since the 1980s after working as secretary for a close ally of Xi's father, revolutionary leader Xi Zhongxun.

He has been instrumental in building up a power base in Shaanxi, Xi's ancestral province.

He has been appointed to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the party's powerful anti-graft watchdog, as per a&nbsp;list released by&nbsp;Xinhua.

(With inputs from agencies)

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After securing an unprecedented third five-year term as the general secretary of the Communist Party, Xi Jinping unveiled the new seven-member Politburo Standing Committee—the country’s top ruling body—headed by him.

After securing an unprecedented third five-year term as the general secretary of the Communist Party, Xi Jinping unveiled the new seven-member Politburo Standing Committee—the country’s top ruling body—headed by him. Among the seven members, four are considered to be close allies of Xi, including two of his former secretaries. Notably, none of them are females—a first in 25 years. Experts say that the appointment of his allies showed a complete hold of Xi, who has rewarded his allies solely based on their loyalty. Here are the men who will be ruling Beijing for the next five years. Xi Jinping On Sunday, the 69-year-old was re-elected as general secretary of the Communist Party, for the third time, making him the most powerful leader since Mao Zedong. His elevation will make sure that he secures a third term as the Chinese president at the government's annual legislative sessions next March. In 2018, the Chinese leader had abolished the presidential two-term limit, paving the way for him to govern indefinitely. Li Qiang Considered one of Xi's favourites, the former Shanghai party chief was promoted to number two in the party hierarchy, replacing Li Keqiang, who will retire next year. Li—who oversaw a harsh two-month COVID-19 lockdown in the metropolis earlier this year—will likely be named premier at next March's legislative sessions. "This showcases to everyone that loyalty rather than popularity is the key for your promotion," tweeted Yang Zhang, an assistant professor at American University in Washington. "The disaster of Shanghai Lockdown did not stop Li's elevation precisely because he followed Xi's order despite all criticism." Zhao Leji The 65-year-old former head of the party's top anti-corruption watchdog was promoted to number three in the party hierarchy. Wang Huning Dubbed Xi's ideology tsar or the "brains behind the throne", the 67-year-old former university professor has been promoted to number four in the party lineup. He has devised ideologies for three current and former Chinese presidents, and is the architect of Xi's "China Dream" slogan, as well as the country's more assertive foreign policy. Cai Qi The present Beijing party chief has been promoted to the Standing Committee and becomes the head of the General Secretariat, managing the day-to-day affairs of the party, according to a member list released by Xinhua. Also read | 'The world needs China,' says Xi after being elected as the general secretary The 66-year-old is seen as a close political ally of Xi due to his time working under him in the provinces of Zhejiang and Fujian. Ding Xuexiang One of the top aides of Xi, Ding has been promoted to the Standing Committee. The 60-year-old regularly accompanies Xi on official engagements, becoming a familiar face hovering in the background of state media reports, never far from his boss. Li Xi Li, believed to be a confidant of Xi, was appointed to the Standing Committee—an appointment widely expected by experts. The 66-year-old has known Xi since the 1980s after working as secretary for a close ally of Xi's father, revolutionary leader Xi Zhongxun. He has been instrumental in building up a power base in Shaanxi, Xi's ancestral province. He has been appointed to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the party's powerful anti-graft watchdog, as per a list released by Xinhua. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Xi appoints CCP's new Politburo Standing Committee. Picks his loyalists for absolute control

With only a few days left for the 20th Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the security officials have intensified crackdown on unscrupulous elements and turned Beijing into a virtual fortress.

This year’s meeting, which is scheduled to take place on October 16, is significant for China, as President Xi Jinping is all set to be elected for an unprecedented third five-year term—a feat only achieved by modern China’s founder Mao Zedong.

As part of the Ministry of Public Security’s “100-day operation”, which began in June, more than 1.4 million alleged criminals have been arrested, surveillance of ethnic minorities has been intensified and travellers to Beijing are being&nbsp;thoroughly checked, reports Financial Times newspaper.

Additional forces have been deployed to some of the areas, which Beijing considers to be higher risk because of a large presence of ethnic minorities.

In the capital Beijing, security is tight around sensitive areas, like the Great Hall of the People, on the western edge of Tiananmen Square, where the congress will be held, and the Jingxi Hotel, where thousands of delegates will stay.

Moreover, people travelling on subway trains in Beijing have been asked to drink any liquids they carry in bottles only in front of a security guard.

“You know the congress is coming so the checks will be stricter,” a guard said at a Beijing metro station this week, reports the newspaper. “Please be co-operative.”

Reuters news agency has reported that China has hired more security personnel in the wake of the important political meeting, of which 42 guards have been assigned to keep 24-hour watch on "key people"—a term used by authorities for troublemakers—from October 6 to October 23.

(With inputs from agencies)

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With only a few days left for the 20th Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the security officials have intensified crackdown on unscrupulous elements and turned Beijing into a virtual fortress.

With only a few days left for the 20th Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the security officials have intensified crackdown on unscrupulous elements and turned Beijing into a virtual fortress. This year’s meeting, which is scheduled to take place on October 16, is significant for China, as President Xi Jinping is all set to be elected for an unprecedented third five-year term—a feat only achieved by modern China’s founder Mao Zedong. As part of the Ministry of Public Security’s “100-day operation”, which began in June, more than 1.4 million alleged criminals have been arrested, surveillance of ethnic minorities has been intensified and travellers to Beijing are being thoroughly checked, reports Financial Times newspaper. Additional forces have been deployed to some of the areas, which Beijing considers to be higher risk because of a large presence of ethnic minorities. In the capital Beijing, security is tight around sensitive areas, like the Great Hall of the People, on the western edge of Tiananmen Square, where the congress will be held, and the Jingxi Hotel, where thousands of delegates will stay. Moreover, people travelling on subway trains in Beijing have been asked to drink any liquids they carry in bottles only in front of a security guard. “You know the congress is coming so the checks will be stricter,” a guard said at a Beijing metro station this week, reports the newspaper. “Please be co-operative.” Reuters news agency has reported that China has hired more security personnel in the wake of the important political meeting, of which 42 guards have been assigned to keep 24-hour watch on "key people"—a term used by authorities for troublemakers—from October 6 to October 23. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

China intensifies security ahead of 20th CCP congress, arrests over 1.4 million ‘criminals’

In less than two weeks, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will be convening its 20th National Congress on October 16, where President Xi Jinping would be seeking an unprecedented third five-year term.

He will do so by amending the constitution to abolish the presidential term limits. There are reports which strongly suggest that Xi will try to revive the Mao-era title of "chairman" for himself, usurping the supreme status in the party hierarchy for the rest of his life.

The move comes amid reports of a Mao-style personality cult growing around the Chinese leader, as institutions and political figures declare complete allegiance to Xi, who is a devoted student of Mao Zedong, and his personal brand of political ideology.

The title has been attached to Mao, the founding father of modern China, who held it until his death in 1976. It was abolished in 1982 and was replaced by the general secretary.

The constitution at that time granted the party chairman broad powers, including command of the country's armed forces.

Several experts noted that the amendment could personify Xi’s personal brand of ideology to “Xi Jinping Thought,” which would bring it closer in status to “Mao Zedong Thought” in the popular consciousness, Reuters news agency reported.

Among other potential changes include the establishment of Xi as the “core” of the party, and his ideas as its guiding principles, or the reinstatement of the post of party chairman, which was abolished in 1982, it said.

Since the 1990s, changes to the party constitution have primarily focused on adding the political philosophies of the new leadership to an ever-increasing list of party’s charting political doctrines, underscoring their historical status.

Since being founded in 1921, the CCP has amended its constitution at each party congress, reflecting the changes in its direction.

There are nearly 100 million members of the CCP, and yet there is very little knowledge as to how its top leadership operates.

(With inputs from agencies)

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In less than two weeks, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will be convening its 20th National Congress on October 16, where President Xi Jinping would be seeking an unprecedented third five-year term.

In less than two weeks, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will be convening its 20th National Congress on October 16, where President Xi Jinping would be seeking an unprecedented third five-year term. He will do so by amending the constitution to abolish the presidential term limits. There are reports which strongly suggest that Xi will try to revive the Mao-era title of "chairman" for himself, usurping the supreme status in the party hierarchy for the rest of his life. The move comes amid reports of a Mao-style personality cult growing around the Chinese leader, as institutions and political figures declare complete allegiance to Xi, who is a devoted student of Mao Zedong, and his personal brand of political ideology. The title has been attached to Mao, the founding father of modern China, who held it until his death in 1976. It was abolished in 1982 and was replaced by the general secretary. The constitution at that time granted the party chairman broad powers, including command of the country's armed forces. Several experts noted that the amendment could personify Xi’s personal brand of ideology to “Xi Jinping Thought,” which would bring it closer in status to “Mao Zedong Thought” in the popular consciousness, Reuters news agency reported. Among other potential changes include the establishment of Xi as the “core” of the party, and his ideas as its guiding principles, or the reinstatement of the post of party chairman, which was abolished in 1982, it said. Since the 1990s, changes to the party constitution have primarily focused on adding the political philosophies of the new leadership to an ever-increasing list of party’s charting political doctrines, underscoring their historical status. Since being founded in 1921, the CCP has amended its constitution at each party congress, reflecting the changes in its direction. There are nearly 100 million members of the CCP, and yet there is very little knowledge as to how its top leadership operates. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

China’s Xi all set to usurp Mao-era ‘Chairman’ post at upcoming party congress: Report

“China’s opening will continue. The Yellow River and the Yangtze River will not flow backwards." When Chinese premier Li Keqiang made this declaration during a visit to Shenzhen recently, it immediately set tongues wagging about the country's future.

Then the speech disappeared from Chinese social media, giving way to speculations of a rift between Li and President Xi Jinping, as the latter is poised to retain his presidency for an unprecedented third term. The five-yearly Party Congress, set to open in Beijing on October 16, will also see Li stepping down from his post.

Li, who has a background in economics, had more or less disappeared from the state media headlines for months while Xi became the centre point of all policies, the chairman of everything.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/imf-announces-agreement-for-29bn-sri-lanka-bailout-511949" hreflang="en">Sri Lanka and IMF reach staff-level agreement for $2.9 billion bailout loan</a>

Xi's crackdown on private businesses and push for a "shared prosperity" is driving China towards a socialist path after enjoying record-breaking growth as a freewheeling economy for the last four decades. This shift in direction and crackdown on big businesses naturally led to worries about China under Xi. So Li's speech added another dimension to the tea leaf reading by the analysts.

The goings on inside the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) always remained hazy and Beijing had projected a unified front before the world even when leaders faced headwinds.

Analysts and diplomats often had to resort to clues like state media headlines and public appearances of CCP leaders to gauge who is in favour and who is not. Going by that, it is hard to speculate Xi is facing any major challenge as he appeared in a total of 683 articles in the People’s Daily in July compared to a mere 32 featuring Li. Moreover, the news is also emerging that Xi is planning foreign visits later this year, signalling his confidence in his control over the party machinery.

So what to make of Li's pronouncements in Shenzhen? Some analysts say that his words and the act of paying respect to a statue of Deng Xiaoping are a signal to the country and the rest of the world that China will continue on its economic journey despite the recent crackdowns on high tech and real estate sectors.

But some see it as an admission by a weak premier that he failed to act as a counterweight to Xi in the party. "It is Li’s way of saying that he tried but failed, and this is goodbye," tweeted Adam Ni, who founded the widely followed China Neican newsletter.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
These are the actions/words of a man found wanting against greater forces, and trying to leave his mark on the public memory. It is Li's way of saying that he tried but failed, and this is goodbye...
— Adam Ni (@adam_ni) <a href="https://twitter.com/adam_ni/status/1560590612834816000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Still, it is foolhardy to think Xi has everything under control. His insistence on continuing the Zero Covid policy is throwing the supply chains into disarray while prolonged lockdowns are testing the patience of the people. The weeks-long lockdown in Shanghai recently saw frustration and anger surfacing on social media and the censors had to work overtime to remove comments targeted at the administration and CCP.

A report by a think tank on Sunday called for a change in Covid policies, but that was also taken off social media the next day. Currently, 28 cities are either completely or partially enforcing lockdown measures due to Covid outbreaks. There is no sign that Beijing is pondering changes to its Covid policies, but Chinese economists speculate lockdowns would gradually ease once the party congress is over.

Even more worrying for Beijing leaders would be the crisis in the real estate sector as people in more and more cities are now refusing to pay mortgage instalments for unfinished apartments adding to the woes of many cash-strapped builders. This could snowball into a much wider economic problem as many provinces have banked on land sales to fund government projects.

None of this is going to pave way for a coup and when the party congress opens in Beijing, the well-oiled party machinery will display the same old charade of leaders hailing the leadership and dishing out patriotic speeches about the country’s advance under the CCP.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-city-chengdu-announces-mass-covid-19-testing-amid-rising-cases-511959">Chinese city Chengdu announces mass COVID-19 testing amid rising cases</a>

“Don’t read the latest gossip about Li challenging Xi as anything more than gossip. Xi almost certainly will continue on to a third term, making history as the most powerful Chinese leader in generations,” wrote Dexter Tiff Roberts, who had spent more than two decades in China as a Bloomberg correspondent and is now a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Asia Security Initiative.

CCP hates surprises and it is unlikely that even in the face of severe challenges they will have a sudden leadership change. The party has set aside term limits for the presidential post and declared Xi Jinping Thoughts as its guiding light. It is unlikely anything will change this immediately.

In a deep dive into the machinations that led to the rise of Xi, a senior fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute, Christopher Johnson, argues that CCP wanted a strong leader like him to take charge and shore up the party as the opening up under Deng Xiaoping had threatened the party’s grip on power while factions linked to former President Jiang Zemin played their own games.

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

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“China’s opening will continue. The Yellow River and the Yangtze River will not flow backwards." When Chinese premier Li Keqiang made this declaration during a visit to Shenzhen recently, it immediately set tongues wagging about the country's future.

“China’s opening will continue. The Yellow River and the Yangtze River will not flow backwards." When Chinese premier Li Keqiang made this declaration during a visit to Shenzhen recently, it immediately set tongues wagging about the country's future. Then the speech disappeared from Chinese social media, giving way to speculations of a rift between Li and President Xi Jinping, as the latter is poised to retain his presidency for an unprecedented third term. The five-yearly Party Congress, set to open in Beijing on October 16, will also see Li stepping down from his post. Li, who has a background in economics, had more or less disappeared from the state media headlines for months while Xi became the centre point of all policies, the chairman of everything. Also read | Sri Lanka and IMF reach staff-level agreement for $2.9 billion bailout loan Xi's crackdown on private businesses and push for a "shared prosperity" is driving China towards a socialist path after enjoying record-breaking growth as a freewheeling economy for the last four decades. This shift in direction and crackdown on big businesses naturally led to worries about China under Xi. So Li's speech added another dimension to the tea leaf reading by the analysts. The goings on inside the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) always remained hazy and Beijing had projected a unified front before the world even when leaders faced headwinds. Analysts and diplomats often had to resort to clues like state media headlines and public appearances of CCP leaders to gauge who is in favour and who is not. Going by that, it is hard to speculate Xi is facing any major challenge as he appeared in a total of 683 articles in the People’s Daily in July compared to a mere 32 featuring Li. Moreover, the news is also emerging that Xi is planning foreign visits later this year, signalling his confidence in his control over the party machinery. So what to make of Li's pronouncements in Shenzhen? Some analysts say that his words and the act of paying respect to a statue of Deng Xiaoping are a signal to the country and the rest of the world that China will continue on its economic journey despite the recent crackdowns on high tech and real estate sectors. But some see it as an admission by a weak premier that he failed to act as a counterweight to Xi in the party. "It is Li’s way of saying that he tried but failed, and this is goodbye," tweeted Adam Ni, who founded the widely followed China Neican newsletter. These are the actions/words of a man found wanting against greater forces, and trying to leave his mark on the public memory. It is Li's way of saying that he tried but failed, and this is goodbye... — Adam Ni (@adam_ni) August 19, 2022 × Still, it is foolhardy to think Xi has everything under control. His insistence on continuing the Zero Covid policy is throwing the supply chains into disarray while prolonged lockdowns are testing the patience of the people. The weeks-long lockdown in Shanghai recently saw frustration and anger surfacing on social media and the censors had to work overtime to remove comments targeted at the administration and CCP. A report by a think tank on Sunday called for a change in Covid policies, but that was also taken off social media the next day. Currently, 28 cities are either completely or partially enforcing lockdown measures due to Covid outbreaks. There is no sign that Beijing is pondering changes to its Covid policies, but Chinese economists speculate lockdowns would gradually ease once the party congress is over. Even more worrying for Beijing leaders would be the crisis in the real estate sector as people in more and more cities are now refusing to pay mortgage instalments for unfinished apartments adding to the woes of many cash-strapped builders. This could snowball into a much wider economic problem as many provinces have banked on land sales to fund government projects. None of this is going to pave way for a coup and when the party congress opens in Beijing, the well-oiled party machinery will display the same old charade of leaders hailing the leadership and dishing out patriotic speeches about the country’s advance under the CCP. Also read | Chinese city Chengdu announces mass COVID-19 testing amid rising cases “Don’t read the latest gossip about Li challenging Xi as anything more than gossip. Xi almost certainly will continue on to a third term, making history as the most powerful Chinese leader in generations,” wrote Dexter Tiff Roberts, who had spent more than two decades in China as a Bloomberg correspondent and is now a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Asia Security Initiative. CCP hates surprises and it is unlikely that even in the face of severe challenges they will have a sudden leadership change. The party has set aside term limits for the presidential post and declared Xi Jinping Thoughts as its guiding light. It is unlikely anything will change this immediately. In a deep dive into the machinations that led to the rise of Xi, a senior fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute, Christopher Johnson, argues that CCP wanted a strong leader like him to take charge and shore up the party as the opening up under Deng Xiaoping had threatened the party’s grip on power while factions linked to former President Jiang Zemin played their own games. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

Li comments unlikely to dent Xi juggernaut

An editorial by a state-run news outlet had asked the members of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) to shoulder the responsibility of the dwindling population and told them that they should be “obliged” to have at least three children.

The opinion piece, which was published last month by a state media outlet called China Reports Network, was taken down on Wednesday after people chastised the editorial in a Chinese micro-blogging site.

“No party member should use any excuse, objective or personal, to not marry or have children, nor can they use any excuse to have only one or two children,” the article said, asking about 95 million CPC members to “should shoulder the responsibility and obligation of the country’s population growth and act on the three-child policy”.

Although the editorial was taken down from the website, its screenshots were widely circulated on social media and a related hashtag had garnered more than 5.7 million views on Weibo, China’s Twitter-like social media platform, as of Thursday afternoon, reports South China Morning Post.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/chinas-new-three-child-policy-boosts-shares-in-toy-diaper-makers-388854">China's new three-child policy boosts shares in toy, diaper makers</a>

The opinion piece comes amid concerns over China’s growing ageing population and declining birth rate.

According to the 2020 census released by the country’s national bureau of statistics, over 18% of the population is aged over 60.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-relaxes-two-child-limit-policy-over-concerns-of-aging-population-and-decline-in-birth-rate-338773">&nbsp;China relaxes two-child limit policy over concerns of aging population and decline in birth rate</a>

Figures released in November showed that there were 8.5 births per 1,000 people in 2020, the first time in decades that the figure has fallen below 10. In 1978, the figure was more than 18 per 1,000.

The CCP has implemented a range of measures in response, including&nbsp;relaxing long-held limits&nbsp;on having children, easing the costs associated with education and child-rearing,&nbsp;subsidies&nbsp;for second and third children, and introducing mandatory&nbsp;“cooling off” periods for divorces, but they have had limited impact.

The one-child policy was formally ended in 2016, and replaced by a two-child limit on most Chinese couples, which was lifted again to three this year.

(With inputs from agencies)

An editorial by a state-run news outlet had asked the members of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) to shoulder the responsibility of the dwindling population and told them that they should be “obliged” to have at least three children.

An editorial by a state-run news outlet had asked the members of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) to shoulder the responsibility of the dwindling population and told them that they should be “obliged” to have at least three children. The opinion piece, which was published last month by a state media outlet called China Reports Network, was taken down on Wednesday after people chastised the editorial in a Chinese micro-blogging site. “No party member should use any excuse, objective or personal, to not marry or have children, nor can they use any excuse to have only one or two children,” the article said, asking about 95 million CPC members to “should shoulder the responsibility and obligation of the country’s population growth and act on the three-child policy”. Although the editorial was taken down from the website, its screenshots were widely circulated on social media and a related hashtag had garnered more than 5.7 million views on Weibo, China’s Twitter-like social media platform, as of Thursday afternoon, reports South China Morning Post. Also read | China's new three-child policy boosts shares in toy, diaper makers The opinion piece comes amid concerns over China’s growing ageing population and declining birth rate. According to the 2020 census released by the country’s national bureau of statistics, over 18% of the population is aged over 60. Also read | China relaxes two-child limit policy over concerns of aging population and decline in birth rate Figures released in November showed that there were 8.5 births per 1,000 people in 2020, the first time in decades that the figure has fallen below 10. In 1978, the figure was more than 18 per 1,000. The CCP has implemented a range of measures in response, including relaxing long-held limits on having children, easing the costs associated with education and child-rearing, subsidies for second and third children, and introducing mandatory “cooling off” periods for divorces, but they have had limited impact. The one-child policy was formally ended in 2016, and replaced by a two-child limit on most Chinese couples, which was lifted again to three this year. (With inputs from agencies)

To tackle declining birth rate, Chinese editorial tells Communist members to have ‘at least 3 kids’

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