Ping, Jonathan, and Hayes, Anna (2025) Leadership, Thought, and Succession in the CCP. Australian Outlook, 20 August 2025.

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Abstract

This article explores the dynamics of leadership and succession within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), focusing on Xi Jinping’s consolidation of power and the implications for China’s future. It examines the historical evolution of leadership thought, surveillance, and control mechanisms, and the role of purges in maintaining authority. As China faces economic instability, demographic decline, and geopolitical tensions, questions arise about the resilience of Xi’s governance and the prospects for succession. Potential successors, including Wang Yang, are discussed amid speculation about the Party’s strategic direction. The CCP’s opaque leadership transition process remains central to China’s domestic and global trajectory.

Item ID:	90293
Item Type:	Article (Commentary)
Copyright Information:	© Copyright 2024 Australian Institute of International Affairs. This article is published under a Creative Commons License and may be republished with attribution.
Date Deposited:	30 Sep 2026 01:58
FoR Codes:	44 HUMAN SOCIETY > 4408 Political science > 440807 Government and politics of Asia and the Pacific @ 100%
SEO Codes:	23 LAW, POLITICS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES > 2302 Government and politics > 230203 Political systems @ 40% 23 LAW, POLITICS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES > 2303 International relations > 230301 Defence and security policy @ 20% 23 LAW, POLITICS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES > 2303 International relations > 230399 International relations not elsewhere classified @ 40%
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