China’s “pilot at the helm” finds himself increasingly grounded by domestic problems and internal CCP power shifts.

By Charles Burton | Toronto Star

There are new signs that China’s Communist apparatus is dismantling Xi Jinping’s dictatorship-like rule, continuing a sense of turmoil within the Communist Party of China (CPC) ever since Xi disappeared from public view for two weeks this spring for reasons never explained.

In Brief by Probe International

In late June, Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials unveiled procedural reforms aimed at decentralizing authority, introducing regulations to clarify the structure, mandates, and operational protocols of the Central Committee’s core policymaking bodies. The move signals a formal rollback of Xi Jinping’s consolidated control over strategic decision-making in domestic and international affairs.

In practical terms, the era of Xi’s unchallenged “commandership” has waned—the party is retreating from his centralized “pilot at the helm” doctrine, which had justified one-man rule as essential for national stability.

Analysts speculate that internal rivals, including military factions resentful of Xi’s corruption purges, may be reasserting collective leadership norms. This is evidenced by Premier Li Qiang and others chairing key meetings and Xi’s recent (compelled) praise for “shared leadership” models from the Mao-Deng eras. Propaganda shifts—such as recycled footage from 2018 of Xi used for a June 10 public appearance and omission of his once-ubiquitous titles—hint at his transition to what appears to be more of a ceremonial role.

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