Comments from Guangdong netizens pointed out that every time a disaster occurs in China, Xi Jinping is quick to set out—but the destination is never the disaster area. Instead, he chooses a place with clear skies and pleasant weather to inspect, "always staying far from the disaster zone." (Screenshot from X platform)
[People News] CCP state media previously revealed that when the Chinese president or premier goes on overseas visits, accompanying officials are usually those of vice-ministerial rank or higher. Key officials who accompany the president on state visits typically include the First Lady, the director of the Central Policy Research Office, the director of the General Office, and the State Councilor in charge of foreign affairs. Other accompanying officials include ministers and vice-ministers of foreign affairs, Chinese ambassadors to the visiting countries, and leaders from the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Commerce.
Similarly, when the CCP leader conducts domestic inspections and surveys, there are corresponding accompanying officials. Although the official media have not disclosed detailed arrangements, glimpses from official reports indicate that, besides local officials, accompanying delegations often include vice-national-level high-ranking officials such as members of the Central Secretariat. What anomalies might be observed if one examines the accompanying officials during Xi Jinping's domestic inspections over the past two years, especially after rumors in July about issues at the Third Plenary Session?
From November 4 to 5, Xi Jinping conducted an inspection in Hubei; from October 17 to 18, in Anhui; and from October 15 to 16, in Fujian, accompanied by Politburo member and Vice Premier He Lifeng. Central Political Bureau Standing Committee member, Central Secretariat First Secretary, and Director of the General Office Cai Qi, along with Politburo member and Head of the Organization Department Li Ganjie—who frequently accompanied Xi over the past year—were notably absent on these southern tours.
On September 12, Xi inspected Gansu, accompanied by Cai Qi and He Lifeng, two vice-national-level officials.
From June 19 to 21, during Xi’s inspection in Qinghai and Ningxia, he was accompanied by Li Ganjie and He Lifeng.
From May 22 to 24, Xi visited Rizhao and Jinan in Shandong; from April 22 to 24, he was in Chongqing; and from March 18 to 21, he inspected Changsha and Changde in Hunan, accompanied by three vice-national-level officials: Cai Qi, Li Ganjie, and He Lifeng.
Looking back at 2023, after returning from a state visit to Vietnam on December 13 and visiting Guangxi, Xi conducted inspections in Nanning and Laibin. As it was an overseas visit, more high-ranking officials accompanied him, including Cai Qi, Li Ganjie, He Lifeng, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and Secretary of the Central Secretariat and State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong.
From November 28 to December 2, during Xi’s inspection in Shanghai, he was accompanied not only by Politburo member and Shanghai Party Secretary Chen Jining and Mayor Gong Zheng but also by Cai Qi, Li Ganjie, and He Lifeng.
On November 10, during a one-day inspection of post-disaster recovery in Beijing and Hebei, Cai Qi was the only accompanying official.
From October 10 to 13, during Xi’s inspection in Jiujiang, Jingdezhen, and Shangrao in Jiangxi, Cai Qi, Li Ganjie, and He Lifeng were his constant companions.
On September 20 and 21, during Xi’s survey in Zhejiang, he was accompanied by Cai Qi, Li Ganjie, He Lifeng, and Wang Xiaohong.
From September 6 to 8, during his inspection in Heilongjiang; from July 25 to 27, in Guangyuan and Deyang in Sichuan; and from July 5 to 7, in Suzhou and Nanjing in Jiangsu, Cai Qi, Li Ganjie, and He Lifeng accompanied him.
On June 7 and 8, during his inspection in Bayannur, Inner Mongolia, Cai Qi and Li Ganjie accompanied Xi.
From May 11 to 12, during Xi’s inspection in Cangzhou and Shijiazhuang in Hebei, Cai Qi, Li Ganjie, and He Lifeng accompanied him and attended meetings.
From April 10 to 13, during Xi’s survey in Zhanjiang, Maoming, and Guangzhou in Guangdong, Cai Qi, Li Ganjie, and He Lifeng were also present.
Drawing a line at the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CCP Congress in July, it becomes evident that for over a year prior, Xi's domestic inspections were mainly accompanied by his trusted vice-national-level officials: Cai Qi, Li Ganjie, and He Lifeng. Occasionally, one of them would be absent, but at least two were always present, with Li Ganjie almost a standard feature.
The Organization Department, responsible for managing organizational and personnel work, has the primary function of evaluating and promoting leaders and is the most powerful "department" by name. In ancient China, the equivalent department responsible for officials was the Ministry of Personnel, ranked first among all ministries, with its head known as the "Heavenly Official."
Li Ganjie, a member of the Tsinghua faction, was a protégé of Xi's confidant and former head of the Organization Department, Chen Xi, now President of the Central Party School. Li, specialized in nuclear reactor engineering, worked his way up at the National Nuclear Safety Administration after graduation. Following Chen Xi's rise, Li was appointed Deputy Party Secretary and Acting Governor of Shandong Province, the hometown of Xi's wife Peng Liyuan, in April 2020, becoming Governor that July. He was promoted to Provincial Party Secretary in 2021 and elected to the Politburo a year later, succeeding Chen Xi as head of the Organization Department. His rapid ascent was closely linked to Chen Xi's recommendations and Xi's trust.
Why did Li Ganjie, as a Secretary of the Central Secretariat and head of organization and personnel, accompany Xi on each inspection? Perhaps Xi wanted Li to evaluate local officials’ loyalty or maybe because trusted senior officials were scarce, so he had Li accompany him each time.
Curiously, after the rumors of Xi's illness and various anomalies within the CCP following the Third Plenary Session, Li Ganjie and Cai Qi—who had consistently accompanied Xi on inspections—disappeared one after another, leaving only one vice-national-level official with Xi. Why is that? Has Xi’s position changed? Who issued such orders? △
(First published by People News)
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