It was few people people that that can see Xi Jinping will become the most confident Chinese leader in many years – now has he secure historic third term in power.
Over 10 years ago, people done too knew Mr Xi Jinping – apart from the fact that he was “princeling” or party crown prince, because his father is one of the country revolutionary leaders.
But his lineage help him to win the support of party elders, that stood and important him to get power within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) as the leaders have political influence even after they will be retire.
“Before he was upgrade, proller seen Xi Jinping as person that will be compromise to everyone,” Joseph Fewsmith, one of an expert for Chinese elite politics for Boston University said.
But 10 years later, is like is clear now that nobody can question Mr Xi Jinping authority and nobody can rival his power. How was that happened?
What they mean about the barrel of gun
Mao Zedong, the founder father of Communist Chinese, say that : “Political power is growing out of the barrel of gun.”
After the establishment of the People’s Republic of Chinese for 1949, Mao ensure that the party, will not be the state power to control the people’s Liberation Army (PLA). Since then, the CCP leader also come the Central Military Commission (CMC) chairman.
Xi Jinping was lucky to pass his predecessor Hu Jintao because the CMC chairman instanta – and without wasting time he remove all his opposition within the armed forces.
But the most shocking things that happened in 2014 and 2015, when former CMC Vice Chairman Xu Caihou and former PLA General Guo Boxiong finished accuse of corruption.
“They been already retire when the axe fall on their head, but Xi Jinping ability to target them to reduce the former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin remaining influence for the PLA,” Joel Wuthnow, one senior that is among of the Pentagon-funded National Defense University said .
“This also send powerful signal give the current serving military officers, that no one will resists Xi Jinping to control their immune from harm,” he added.
In 2015, Mr Xi Jinping also rearrange the structure of the military
At the end, the four military headquarters – staff, politics, logistics and armaments – will replace them with 15 smaller agencies.
But the new structure will allow the CMC to issue orders directly to the various branches of the military – that has extend as far as even financial auditors, that gives report directly to the CMC now, But Mr Wuthnow added.
Last month the People’s Liberation Army Daily, the country official military newspaper, publish one article that emphasize says that the CMC was the overall command.
“Because this message help counter any tendency that wants to develop for the military to build loyalty towards senior PLA leaders that fit someday he will oppose Xi Jinping ,” Timothy Heath, one senior international defence researcher for US thank RAND corporation said. “Loyalty to the party mean that the PLA will expected to carry out any and all orders to keep the party, and Xi Jinping in particular, in power.”
In everything Loyalty comes first
After he secure the gun barrel, It was dey essential to bring the knife – the internal security apparatus – under total control.
But two years after Xi Jinping come to power, authorities confam the arrest of one “tiger”, former domestic security chief Zhou Yongkang, for corruption. He closely linked with Bo Xilai, anotheee”princeling” that rival Mr Xi Jinping .
The investigation send political shockwaves as shatter the unspoken rule say members of the Politburo Standing Committee, the most powerful decision-making body, is not suppose to face criminal punishment.
“Xi Jinping turn out to be ruthlessly brilliant politician that is patiently rise through the system before he seize his moment to rule,” Neil Thomas, one senior Chiness analyst of Eurasia Group said.
“The communist party elders that support Xi Jinping rise by the surprise by the speed and extent of his power he grab.”
Observers that Mr Xi Jinping was using his signature anti-corruption campaign to also remove his political rivals and oder factions within the party.
But for the past decade, ant-corruption authorities has investigate more than 4.7 million people.
“For the last two years, Xi Jinping also remove career security officials that support his rise to power in the first place,” Victor Shih, one political scientist for the University of California, San Diego said.
“Now it was officials that share past history with Xi Jinping and it was the people that his trust that is run security agencies”
But Xi Jinping package his loyalists for important regional posts, like the party secretaries of key cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Chongqing.
These positions was important because it was their responsible for “interpreting and implementing central directives for localities with millions of people”, Thomas said .
At least 24 out of the 31 provincial-level party secretaries of political associates of Xi Jinping , that knew his family, They attend school with him, that is working under him, or work for one of his close allies, Thomas said.
Meanwhile Mr Xi Jinping promote nearly all of the 281 standing committee members of the provincial standing committees according to data compiled by Wu Guoguang, one politics professor for the University of Victoria in Canada.
How Crafting personal brand
In 2018 “Xi Jinping Thought that on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era” was enshrined for Chinese constitution.
It sound somehow but to get ideology that will bear his named after him, it was something that cement Xi Jinping legacy.
But before Xi Jinping , only Chairman Mao that achieve this. Even Deng Xiaoping, that they knew well as the architect of Chinese modernisation, but only have “theory” under their name, while Xi Jinping immediately predecessors, Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao, has no single thought or theories attach to their names.
“Xi Jinping ‘ thought main aim was to make his own legitimacy and power strong above anyone else for the CCP and for the country.” It was part of one new personality cult that link Xi Jinping not only to Mao but to the most glorious and successful Chinese emperors of yester-year,” Jean-Pierre Cabestan, one emeritus professor of political science for Hong Kong Baptist University said.
But dozens of universities and institutions, including the prestigious Peking University and Tsinghua University, has set up research centres under Mr Xi Jinping names, according to Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao.
On August, the Ministry of Education unveiled one plan to promote Xi Jinping Thought the national curriculum.
In 2019, one mobile app that they call Xuexi Qiangguo – that was translate into “Learn from Xi Jinping, Strengthen the country” – which includes quizzes on Xi Jinping Thought has been launch.
But Xi Jinping believe that ” he has have the correct ideology, and everybody must accept it,” Andrew Nathan, one political science professor for Columbia University said.
“But whenever Mao take policy position, everybody else has their legs stand firm, that is also was true of Xi Jinping.”