No woman in China's Xi Jinping's new Politburo Standing Committee for 1st time in 25 years

According to a new Politburo roster that was released earlier yesterday, the Chinese Communist Party's top body will have no full women members for the first time in 25 years. The only woman who was part of the previous Politburo named Sun Chunlan, has retired. And no new woman was appointed to an all-male-dominated committee. As Xi Jinping reshuffled the 205-member Central Committee, 24-member Politburo, and 7-member Standing Committee he included the promotions of some high-ranking officials, according to multiple reports. 

China’s vice premier, a 59-year-old who was seen as a candidate for top leadership was no longer seen as a part of the powerful Politburo committee. He was favoured by Chinese leader Hu Jintao, Xi’s predecessor, who was unexpectedly removed from the hall by staff members during the closing ceremony of the 20th Party Congress. The former party secretary of China’s far western Xinjiang region, Chen Quanguo, was also removed from the Politburo. He was accused of human rights abuses in the Xinjiang region against the Uyghur community and was also sanctioned by the US. In the new lineup, no women have been listed, a case back in 1997 during the 15th Party Congress. It was also shortened to 24 members from 25. 

“I think this is really quite tragic because, of course, we know (there are) a lot of very capable women in China. Even in the party, there are a lot a very capable women cadres — yet, at every level, they are marginalized,” CNN  quoted Victor Shih, expert on elite Chinese politics at the University of California San Diego as saying. 

“Occasionally, a few will break through the ranks, so to speak, and rise to senior-level positions. But they remain very, very rare," he added. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping re-elected

Chinese President Xi Jinping secured a third term in power, becoming the first leader of the ruling Communist Party (CPC) to be elected thrice consecutively after party founder Mao Zedong. The 69-year-old was elected as General Secretary of the Communist Party for five-year tenure by the new seven-member Standing Committee. Xi was first elected in 2012, and completes 10-year tenure this year in 2022. The week-long 20th Party Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) concluded Saturday.  China's most powerful decision-making body, the Politburo Standing Committee saw mostly Xi's allies and loyalists. 

The 20th Party Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) saw the Chinese constitution amend its charter. Several Xi-backed phrases such as “struggle” or “fighting spirit” were added. These terms are often used by Xi whilst highlighting external threats and military risks. Another phrase “common prosperity" in line with Xi’s national campaign to crack down on the corruption of the opposition leaders was also included.