Out goes Li Keqiang, premier and de facto leader of the Communist Youth League faction. In his place comes Li Qiang, who served Xi closely as his effective chief of staff in Zhejiang province in the early 2000s.
Li’s elevation comes despite a grinding COVID-19 lockdown in Shanghai earlier this year that saw rare public outbursts of discontent, and indicates that Xi feels little need to compromise either to other political factions or for popular opinion.
Also out is Wang Yang, another reformer who had been discussed as a potential candidate for premier, and Han Zheng, affiliated to former president Jiang Zemin. Xi was forced to let go of close ally Li Zhanshu, who at age 72 was well over the unofficial retirement age of 68.
But in their stead came more Xi allies – Cai Qi, another close ally from Fujian and Zhejiang provinces, Ding Xuexiang, Xi’s chief of staff for the past five years, and Li Xi, one of the most vocal supporters of Xi.
Of the seven spots, six are now close Xi allies, up from three previously. None are from rival factions.