SINGAPORE: Name of China's powerful anti-corruption chief remained absent from the Communist Party's new central committee as per a list published by the official Xinhua News Agency. The omission suggests President Xi Jinping's adherence to an informal retirement rule placed since 2002. Wang Qishan, who stood at number 6 in the party during Xi's first term, was due to retire from the Politburo Standing Committee, a requirement of an unwritten rule that states anyone 68 or older should step down.
All eyes were glued on Qishan's fate as analysts watched to see whether Xi would keep him. His removal means he will not return to the Committee, the party's top decision-making body. Four other standing committee members who did not make the cut for the Central Committee are, Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan and Zhang Gaoli. This leaves Xi and Premier Li Keqiang as the only remaining standing committee members. A new roster is to be announced later this week.
Qishan's likely retirement will put an end to a long career that saw him called on to help set up China's first investment bank, deal with the outbreak of SARS in Beijing and assist in organising the 2008 Summer Olympics. He heads the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, which has punished over 1.5 million officials in the past five years as Xi cracked down heavily on corruption. The move saw two former top generals and a one-time member of the Standing Committee go down. Also absent on the list is Vice President Li Yuanchao.
