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Deep Dive | China
Xi Jinping: a leader shaped by his troubled past

Reading time 6 min
Part 5
Xi, the purges and the succession (5/5).
Xi, the purges and the succession (5/5). © Stéphane Oiry

To understand Xi Jinping, one must look at his personal history: a childhood marked by purges, the legacy of a reformist father forced into exile, family tensions and financial secrets. All factors that have shaped a leader who is both an ideologue and a pragmatist.

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Xi, purges and succession (5/5 published parts)

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.

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Beijing's anti-corruption authorities have submitted a dossier to Chinese President Xi Jinping deemed too sensitive to be passed on to the Politburo Standing Committee. This follows the launch of an investigation into Wei Xiaodong, a senior official from Fujian, whose downfall threatens part of the party elite and places the head of state in a delicate position ahead of the 5th Plenum.

LogoSubscribers only Defence, Back-Door Diplomacy 15.06.2026
Wei Xiaodong, former chairman of the municipal committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

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Headlines

A statue of St Peter at the Vatican, to which US private security and intelligence firm VORDR International loosely claims to have ties.
Spotlight | United States, Vatican Ex-CIA agents claim security contracts with 'Vatican' stamp China, Europe, Taiwan, United States Beijing toughens stance on Taiwan and Hong Kong's non-US foreign supporters
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te in Taipei, Taiwan, on 9 September 2025.
United Kingdom, United States Washington beefs up London embassy staff regardless of Trump-Starmer spat
The US embassy in London, on 22 March 2026.
France Leading French private intel firm offered to 'bring DGSE spymaster' to one of its clients
Leading French private intel firm ESL & Network reportedly offered one of its clients the opportunity to organise a conference possibly attended by the DGSE chief.
Oman, United States Muscat enlists Washington's help to monitor Strait of Hormuz

Related topics to this article

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