【Epoch Times, November 26, 2024】 Chinese Communist Party Central Political Bureau Standing Committee member and Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Wang Huning, attended the opening ceremony of the National Traditional Ethnic Minority Sports Games in Sanya, Hainan, on November 22. The official Chinese state media reported this event in a high-profile manner, which was a stark contrast to Wang Huning’s usual low-key style.
Political analysts believe that if Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping still holds considerable power, public events presided over by other members of the Political Bureau Standing Committee are usually considered taboo. However, Wang Huning’s attendance at this event as a leader and his interaction with the public are seen as another sign of Xi Jinping’s diminishing political power.
From November 20 to 22, Wang Huning conducted a research trip to Hainan. On the 22nd, the Traditional Ethnic Minority Sports Games opened in Sanya, Hainan. According to the Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece People’s Daily, Wang Huning attended the event and announced the opening. Before the opening ceremony, he also met with all members of the organizing committee, representatives from various delegations, and athlete representatives.
In addition to Wang Huning, other officials present at the opening ceremony included Chinese Communist Party Central Political Bureau members and Vice Chairmen of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Shi Taifeng, Deputy Minister of the United Front Work Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China Pan Yue, Feng Fei, Secretary of the Hainan Provincial Party Committee, and Gao Zhidan, Director of the State General Administration of Sports.
Wang Huning has always maintained a low-key and mysterious image to the public, rarely appearing in reports from the Chinese Communist Party’s official media. Compared to other members of the Central Political Bureau, Wang Huning’s frequency of public research activities is significantly lower. Epoch Times reporters found that from late May 2023 to November 2024, Wang Huning went out for research only 8 times, while during the same period, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang went out for research nearly 30 times.
Wang Huning’s high-profile appearance in Hainan has drawn attention from the public. Political commentator Chen Pokong in the United States believes that this move is indeed unusual and reflects three anomalies.
On November 24, in an interview with Epoch Times reporters, Chen Pokong stated that first, Wang Huning has recently frequented research trips, going to Zhejiang in October, Xinjiang in November, and now to Hainan. This contrasts sharply with his previous rare outings for research and staying away from the public eye.
The second anomaly lies in the accompaniment of Shi Taifeng. Chen Pokong stated that as the Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Wang Huning was accompanied by Vice Chairman Shi Taifeng on this research trip, which is deemed unusual because based on job responsibilities, it was unnecessary. He said that Wang Huning is a member of the Central Political Bureau, while Shi Taifeng is a member of the Political Bureau. The high-profile nature of this accompanied trip not only indicates Wang Huning’s unusual actions but also may hint at an unusual situation regarding Shi Taifeng.
Chen Pokong further analyzed that the third anomaly is evident in the official Chinese media’s highly publicized coverage of Wang Huning’s trip to Hainan this time. He stated that since Xi Jinping’s so-called “core leader” status, other members of the Central Political Bureau have generally adopted a low-key approach, especially Wang Huning. Even when accompanying Xi Jinping on foreign visits, Wang Huning is usually not mentioned in Chinese official media reports or is obscured in subsequent reports.
However, this time is different. The official media not only released photos of Wang Huning attending the Traditional Ethnic Minority Sports Games but also featured reports of his meetings with representatives from the sports event, presenting a scene similar to when the General Secretary meets guests. This change raises speculations. Chen Pokong believes that this may signify another sign of Xi Jinping’s diminishing political power after the Party’s Third Plenary Session in July this year.
Political analyst Li Linyi also told Epoch Times reporters that Wang Huning’s recent frequent overseas activities focus on investigating the free trade port in Hainan. Li Linyi stated that some foreign media have mentioned that the Hainan free trade port is gradually becoming another “unfinished project” of Xi Jinping, which may have prompted Wang Huning to visit the area to provide advice for Hainan’s development or to attempt to promote economic revitalization.
However, Li Linyi expressed doubts about the effectiveness of these efforts. He believes that in the context of China’s overall economic downturn, such attempts are destined to be futile. He said that the Chinese Communist Party’s top leadership is well aware that China’s economy is beyond repair and will continue to decline.
Wang Huning was born in Shanghai in 1955 and during his youth, due to poor health, he did not participate in the “Cultural Revolution” exodus but chose to self-study at home. In 1974, he entered Shanghai Normal University’s Foreign Languages Department through recommendation to study French and later engaged in research work at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. In 1978, he began pursuing a postgraduate degree in International Politics at Fudan University.
After graduating in 1981, Wang Huning stayed at the university as a teacher, rising from an assistant professor to a professor and eventually became the head of the Department of International Politics. He later served as the dean of the Law School at Fudan University.
In 1995, Wang Huning was summoned to Beijing and embarked on a career in politics. Initially holding the position of Head of the Political Division of the Central Committee’s Policy Research Office, he later was promoted to Deputy Director and then Director. Throughout his subsequent career, Wang Huning was elevated from a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Secretary of the Secretariat to a member of the Political Bureau Standing Committee. In October 2017, he became a member of the Political Bureau Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China, reaching the pinnacle of power.
From 2002 to 2020, while serving as Director of the Central Committee’s Policy Research Office, he was the principal author for Jiang Zemin, Hu Jintao, and Xi Jinping, the three successive leaders of the Chinese Communist Party.
During Jiang Zemin’s era, Wang Huning was the chief designer of the so-called “Three Represents.” During Hu Jintao’s time, he introduced the concepts of creating a “Harmonious Society” and the “Scientific Outlook on Development.”
Entering Xi Jinping’s rule, Wang Huning was dubbed by the outside world as Xi’s “political theoretical makeup artist.” He not only played a role in shaping Xi Jinping’s vision of the “Chinese Dream” but also participated in designing the “Belt and Road” initiative and the discourse of the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation,” which is one of Xi Jinping’s political slogans.
As a result, Wang Huning was hailed as the “National Master of Three Dynasties.” The series of theories he constructed for the three successive party leaders of the Chinese Communist Party became collectively known as the “Wang Huning Thought.”
Wang Huning’s long-lasting role within the Chinese Communist Party has attracted attention from the outside world. American media personality Hugh Hewitt wrote in a column that Wang Huning has an “extraordinary influence” on Xi Jinping in the ideological domain. He openly stated that Wang Huning is “the most dangerous man in the world.”