The Chinese leader is preparing to welcome Donald Trump to Beijing. That visit goes beyond mere diplomatic concessions and is part of a delicate internal dynamic: the run-up to the 2027 Party congress, where Xi Jinping is focusing his efforts to consolidate his position.
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From one Chinese Communist Party congress to the next, Xi Jinping has carried out lengthy purges to consolidate his power and prepare for an uncertain succession, as his health deteriorates. With the next congress set for late 2027, and amid factional jostling and the return of former leaders to the limelight, the Chinese president is now trying to keep all his options open in an unpredictable world as he prepares to welcome Donald Trump to Beijing.

