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

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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