China's Top Leaders Demand Greater Loyalty and Initiative in Closed-Door Session

Chinese Communist Party leaders spent four days in closed session in Beijing this week to tighten internal discipline.

The top echelon of the party gathered to address governance issues, with a specific focus on leadership standards and anti-corruption measures.

The session concluded with a resolution published on Thursday that praised President Xi Jinping for his political courage and sense of responsibility.

The document called for consistent and strict party leadership, signaling a continuation of the ongoing anti-corruption campaign.

Xi, who serves as both general secretary and head of state, outlined a dual requirement for officials: they must show greater initiative while demonstrating deeper loyalty at all levels.

In a speech published in mid-October by the party’s Qiushi Magazine, Xi identified a new target for scrutiny: two-faced functionaries.

He described these individuals as political opportunists who profess loyalty to central leadership while secretly pursuing individualistic goals or working against party instructions.

Xi also criticized officials who use harmony as an excuse to avoid addressing problems, labeling them as fake nice guys.

Kerry Brown, head of the Lau China Institute at King's College London, told Deutsche Welle that Xi aims to minimize potential sources of instability amid international tensions and domestic economic difficulties.

Brown argued that the party believes disunity leads to instability, a fate it seeks to avoid through stricter discipline.

This approach creates a dilemma for the political system: demanding innovation could weaken control and boost corruption, while ramping up pressure could suppress necessary initiative.

Brown noted that the party is very risk averse, and this pressure could extend beyond the party itself to affect the military. Chong Ja Ian, a political scientist at the National University of Singapore, observed that party functionaries have limited space for independent decision-making under Xi's leadership. He explained that Xi wants officials to act proactively in executing specific tasks but does not want them questioning the prescribed agenda. The demanded proactivity is limited to implementation rather than decision-making. Brown added that Xi appears willing to sacrifice some operational flexibility to gain more control and stability, noting that unity allows the system to survive while disunity threatens its existence. He described the current approach as working despite the messy global environment, pointing out that the Chinese economy is not great but not disastrous. Outside observers are also watching the succession question for the 73-year-old leader. Xi is likely to be confirmed as general secretary next fall and could hold the position until 2032, following 2018 changes that removed term limits. Both analysts said succession planning plays a major role in the push for internal stability. Brown warned that differences within the party could fragment it when the question of succession arises, noting that speculation about a successor is inevitable even if one is not named soon. Chong Ja Ian said Xi currently holds all the power, which may make him afraid of undermining his authority by naming a successor too early. He added that failing to make timely preparations could create a power vacuum and major instability, a dilemma that requires the current leader to have both self-confidence and the readiness to step back.