The Intelligence from The Economist Xi says: who will succeed him?
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Apr 3, 2026 
James Miles, a China politics analyst, and Guy Scriven, a European tech and investment writer, discuss Xi Jinping’s consolidation of power and the absence of a clear successor. They explore risks from purges and an aging elite. They also highlight Europe’s growing tech moment: why talent and capital are shifting there and which sectors, like climate and deep tech, look most promising.
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Xi Consolidates Power Across The Party
- Xi Jinping is consolidating power and will almost certainly keep the top job at next year's Party Congress.
- James Miles notes the Politburo and Central Committee are being filled with Xi loyalists, reducing chances of an alternative leadership emerging.
No Military Signal Of Succession
- There are no signs Xi is preparing a successor for 2032, and the usual signal would be adding another civilian to the Central Military Commission.
- James Miles highlights that Xi remains the only civilian on the CMC and adding a civilian successor (as happened for Xi in 2010) hasn't occurred.
A New Gerontocracy Is Forming
- Xi's reshuffle favors not just loyalists but older, proven allies rather than younger protégés.
- James Miles describes a forming gerontocracy where even Central Committee promotions skew away from younger officials.