Formation From 2012 to 2013, China's top leadership transitioned from the "
fourth generation" under
Hu Jintao to the "
fifth generation" led by
Xi Jinping. On 15 November 2012, at the First Plenary Session of the
18th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang were elected to the
Politburo Standing Committee of the CCP, ranking first and second respectively. Xi succeeded Hu Jintao as
General Secretary of the CCP and
Chairman of
the Central Military Commission. This pairing was widely regarded as marking the start of the
Xi–Li Administration.
The 18th Politburo Standing Committee was reduced from nine to seven members. Apart from Xi and Li, the other five members in order of rank were
Zhang Dejiang,
Yu Zhengsheng,
Liu Yunshan,
Wang Qishan, and
Zhang Gaoli. analysts observed that Chinese society was approaching a critical historical juncture, and Xi and Li used several high-profile appearances to signal policy priorities and outline reform directions. These included moving away from a
GDP-centered development model, reforming institutions to combat corruption, and transitioning from an "economic construction-oriented government" toward a "public service-oriented government". Early in his tenure, Li Keqiang promoted the slogan "Reform is China's greatest dividend ()", giving rise to what has been termed "
Likonomics".
Formation of Xi's Core Leadership As the
anti-corruption campaign advanced, the political influence of Xi Jinping and Wang Qishan increased. Wang served successively as Secretary of the
Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and
Vice President of the PRC. At the
Sixth Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee in October 2016, Xi Jinping was officially recognized as the core of the Party's leadership. His political thought was later codified as
Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Meanwhile, with Xi assuming leadership of
the Central Leading Group for Comprehensively Deepening Reforms and
the National Security Commission, his authority expanded into areas previously under the State Council and Premier Li's control. Li Keqiang's power correspondingly narrowed, limited largely to administrative responsibilities. This marked a significant shift in the structure and operation of China's central leadership compared with the previous "
Hu–Wen Administration". The Party under Xi's leadership was consolidated into a centralized authority, described by analysts as marking the effective decline of
the collective leadership system established since
Deng Xiaoping.
Tensions within the Xi–Li Administration As Xi Jinping's second term as General Secretary progressed, particularly after the outbreak of COVID-19 in mainland China, reports began circulating of disagreements between Xi and Premier Li Keqiang. Some observers interpreted Li's public statements in his capacity as head of the State Council as occasionally diverging from Xi's policy line. For example, in early 2020, under Xi's "
dynamic zero-COVID" policy, Li proposed measures such as promoting the "
street vendor economy" to quickly restore economic activity; however, these initiatives were subsequently halted. Certain foreign media, including
Radio France Internationale, portraying him as a cautious bureaucrat or "middle-ranking administrator". Later that year, at a State Council press conference, Li remarked that approximately 600 million low- and middle-income people in China earned around 1,000 RMB per month on average, drawing widespread domestic and international attention. This statement was also seen by some analysts as undermining Xi's poverty alleviation achievements and potentially impacting the goal of building a moderately prosperous society by 2021. By 2022, as the strict "dynamic zero-COVID" measures began to affect the economy and public confidence in the government, perceptions of escalating tensions between Xi and Li increased. In the lead-up to the
20th National Congress, speculation intensified, including political rumors such as a hypothetical "Xi steps down, Li steps up" scenario.
Li Qiang succeeded On 23 October 2022, at the
First Plenary Session of
the 20th Central Committee of the CCP, Li Keqiang was succeeded by
Li Qiang as the second-ranking member of the Politburo Standing Committee, immediately after Xi Jinping. == See also ==