Beijing doubles down on security amid slowing economy
The Chinese Communist Party’s early response to China’s gloomy economic outlook was doubling down on regime security.
POLITICS

Politics Watch: Decoding Insider Intel on Changes to the National People’s Congress Meeting at the Two Sessions
◎ We believe that the NPC meeting this year is extended by three days for its members to deliberate the draft resolution proposed at the Third Plenum.

Personnel Watch: How We Scored on Forecasting the Top CPPCC Leadership
◎ The 11 recently confirmed CPPCC vice chairs and the CPPCC chairman are in our Feb. 18 forecast of key personnel reshuffles at the Two Sessions.

Is Liu He the Next China Central Bank Chief?
◎ Liu as PBoC president is a little off in considering the norms of official ranking.

Politics Watch: Decoding the Third Plenum Communique
◎ Going by the content of the Third Plenum communique, Xi is planning to introduce sweeping reforms to the Party and state apparatuses, as well as the military.

Politics Watch: Xi’s Former Top Aide Obliquely Confirms Coup by Rivals
◎ Ding Xuexiang recently made statements that confirm the intensity of the ongoing CCP factional struggle.

Why Xi Jinping Removed China’s Presidential Term Limit
◎ We believe that the answer to why Xi removed term limits for the Chinese presidency can be found in an analysis of CCP factional struggle.

Politics Watch: Decoding Liu He’s U.S. Trip
◎ Liu visiting America during the Third Plenum period without a formal state post suggests that the CCP considers his trip to be of utmost importance.

Politics Watch: Decoding China’s Presidential Term Limits Change, Other Constitutional Amendments
◎ The announcement of the Second Plenum deliberations more than a month after the meeting suggests that Xi’s rivals may have voiced strong objections to the amendments.

Politics Watch: Decoding the Third Plenum Announcement
◎ We believe that Xi held two separate plenums to discuss the adding of his “Xi Jinping Thought” to the constitution and the appointing of key state personnel because he met with stiff resistance from inside the Party.
