In 2013 when the CCP elected Xi Jinping to rule China, Xi picked Li Keqiang to serve as the Premier of China who is believed to be a great persona with a prominent academic background in economics. His talent of using robust economic data to aid the government in decision-making has been remarkable. Li and Xi were having a good time until COVID-19 wreaked devastation on the entire world.
The Chinese Premier backed away from the situation and carried on with his business as usual making him more popular than Xi as Xi’s reputation began to tarnish throughout the world. Now that Xi is considering running for a third term as Chinese president, Li Keqiang appears to be posing a significant obstacle for him.
According to Chinese media reports, the Chinese are revolting against Xi, and Li might have a role in that. In recent days, Xi Jinping has been trying his best to appoint his loyalists to crucial posts to pave the way for his smooth transition into the third term. Reportedly, Xi-backed leaders have selected almost 2300 top Communist Party delegates tasked with appointing Xi Jinping as the leader for a controversial third term next month, as well as overseeing the selection of his top advisers for the next five years.
However, as Xi Jinping pursues a third term as president at the upcoming 20th Communist Party Congress, one man has been announced to pursue retirement.
After ten years of co-ruling China with Xi, Li Keqiang, the Chinese premier and second-most powerful man, is anticipated to leave politics, the CCP has emphasized. When Congress announces the new group of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leaders in October, Li is reportedly likely to be left off of the list. Chinese will be shocked by this news because Li was also anticipated to run for a third term. Wang Yang is currently being considered by Xi as a potential replacement for the ‘Liberal’ Chinese Premiership.
Li ousted and Protests in China!
The world may not care about this departure, but the removal is a big deal for common Chinese people as a sudden exit has been shown to a man who is more pleasant and trustworthy than Xi. People have started to call for the ouster of Xi Jinping again and that too, on the streets. According to Newshighlandvision, a banner calling for the removal of Xi Jinping has appeared in Beijing, and it is also going viral on WeChat and Weibo.
Reportedly, the slogan pitched: “We don’t need PCR, we need to eat, We don’t need to be banned, we need freedom, we need dignity, we need reform, we don’t want a leader who a needs votes, and we don’t need to be a slave to be a citizen”. The Beijing Public Security Bureau has already caught the man with the banner at the scene.
It has been acknowledged that when Xi learned about the incident, he immediately gave instructions to the Ministry of Public Security, requesting a thorough investigation. Another man set himself ablaze to express his discontent against Xi’s decision. The internet censors rapidly removed social media messages which were actively talking about the incidents in Beijing.
Read More: Is Xi Jinping under house arrest?
Is Everything Fine in China??
The scale of unrest in China could somehow get estimated by CCP’s mouthpiece Global Times’ recent statement. According to Hu Xijin’s recently deleted suspicious Tweet, “ China is currently stable, especially its capital Beijing. The COVID-19 pandemic has been well controlled here. In Beijing, there is no public dissatisfaction due to Pandemic control as in some other remote places in China”.
COVID-19 is currently being used as a shield by Xi and his cabal to undermine citizen discernment in China. In major cities, including the financial centres of Shanghai and Shenzhen, Chinese authorities have increased Covid testing and quarantine measures. The Zero COVID policy is definitely coming back. Local authorities are hurriedly closing schools, theatres, gyms, and other amusement places. All of these things are taking place as Xi makes every attempt to secure a third term, and only a few days ago, he may have narrowly escaped a political “coup”. It appears that now the people are going to be a big obstacle in his way.
Read More: Li Keqiang could be the next President of China
Li Keqiang: The Chosen One!
Chinese citizens are unquestionably tired of Xi’s tyranny. Li Keqiang is a person who is loved by almost everyone in China. A few years ago, Li Keqiang was nowhere near Xi Jinping. He came back stronger in 2020 and is quite vocal about CCP policies when it comes to the economy and importantly over Zero Covid Policy.
It is only Li who was believed to stop CCP’s regulatory crackdown on tech firms, hefty fines and other punishments that had eroded businesses and led to mass layoffs. Because of his daring behaviour, he is loved in China. More importantly, he possessed a serious threat to Xi.
Read More: Meet the next Chinese President, a friend-turned-foe of Xi Jinping
Li has fallen victim to Xi’s campaign of the crackdown against the CCP, which has clearly led to widespread unrest across China. With only a few hours left until October 16, China is undeniably getting out of hand. Will CCP regain its senses or will Xi secure a successful third term? Let’s observe and wait.
