The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is currently holding its Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee, and the release of information from the annual meeting of the Advisory Committee of Tsinghua University’s School of Economics and Management has attracted attention by revealing the recent appearances of former CCP Vice Chairman Wang Qishan and former Premier Zhu Rongji who conveyed a message, last week.
According to the announcement on the official website of Tsinghua University’s School of Economics and Management on Tuesday (October 21), the Advisory Committee of the School of Economics and Management held its 2025 meeting last Friday (October 17) with 23 committee members in attendance. The committee is chaired by Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook.
Former Vice Chairman of the CCP and Honorary Chairman of the Advisory Committee of Tsinghua University’s School of Economics and Management, Wang Qishan hosted a banquet for representatives of the committee. Former CCP Premier and the inaugural dean of the School of Economics and Management at Tsinghua, as well as the founding honorary chairman of the Advisory Committee, Zhu Rongji, entrusted Tsinghua President Li Luming to convey his greetings to the committee members.
The 97-year-old Zhu Rongji’s last public appearance was in October 2018 when he met with the committee members of the Advisory Committee of Tsinghua University’s School of Economics and Management in Beijing, after which he did not make any further public appearances.
On October 25th last year, the 2024 meeting of the Advisory Committee of the School of Economics and Management at Tsinghua University was held, and Zhu Rongji once again entrusted Tsinghua University President Li Luming to convey his greetings to the committee members and invited experts. At that time, Wang Qishan had already taken over as the Honorary Chairman of the Advisory Committee of the School of Economics and Management at Tsinghua University from Zhu Rongji, and he hosted the event. Zhu Rongji’s son, Zhu Yunlai, former President and CEO of China International Capital Corporation, also attended the banquet. Following the handover to Wang Qishan, Zhu Rongji became the founding honorary chairman of the Advisory Committee of the School of Economics and Management at Tsinghua University.
Zhu Rongji and Wang Qishan have been the subject of negative rumors in recent years. Online rumors have continuously circulated about Zhu’s “death news,” while Wang Qishan has been rumored to be under house arrest. Wang Qishan has been targeted by investigations by the CCP’s disciplinary body and the former financial systems, and Guo Shuqing, former chairman of the China Banking Regulatory Commission referred to as a confidant of both Zhu Rongji and Wang Qishan, has also been rumored to be under investigation.
Political commentator Li Linyi told The Epoch Times that both Zhu Rongji and Wang Qishan have a strong foundation in the financial sector with many disciples and former colleagues. Xi Jinping has been cracking down on the financial sector, causing Wang Qishan to face setbacks. Now, Wang Qishan has finally found his position in his own arena. Recently, Chen Xiaojiang, a former member of the CCP’s disciplinary body, was appointed Secretary of Xianjiang, and another former member, Zou Jiayi, was “elected” as the next President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, indicating a return of their influence.
Li Linyi pointed out that the ailing Zhu Rongji’s encouragement to officials in the financial sector before the Fourth Plenum indicates that Wang Qishan’s high-profile appearance suggests that Xi Jinping’s power isn’t as strong as before. The release of this news during the Fourth Plenum is also thought-provoking.
There have been widespread rumors recently about Xi Jinping’s unstable hold on power and the intervention of the old guard. The Fourth Plenum of the CCP is being held behind closed doors, with no external access to internal information. However, three days before the start of the conference, on October 17, the Chinese Ministry of Defense suddenly announced the expulsion of nine senior generals, including Vice Chairman of the Military Commission, He Weidong, from the party (they had already been expelled from the military). Conside1red to be close associates personally selected by Xi Jinping in recent years, their expulsion indicates an unusually fierce infighting at the top echelons.