Xi Jinping's purges ensnare Wang Qishan's allies, signaling a return to totalitarianism

Chinese President Xi Jinping's relentless political purges, ostensibly aimed at combating corruption, are increasingly targeting former allies of key figures, including his once-trusted anti-graft chief Wang Qishan. The recent investigation into Li Xiaohong, the former head of the Central Inspection Work Leading Group and the last of Wang's "five tigers" (close associates), signifies a broader pattern of Xi consolidating power and dismantling potential rival networks.

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Perpetual insecurity requires perpetual purges.

Wang Qishan, who served as the head of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) under Xi, was instrumental in spearheading the anti-corruption drive that targeted high-ranking officials, or "tigers." His own network, however, is now being dismantled by the very disciplinary system he helped build. While Wang himself has not been publicly targeted, the erosion of his inner circle suggests Xi's growing distrust and his determination to ensure absolute loyalty.

According to Minxin Pei, editor of the China Leadership Monitor, Xi's actions represent a reversal of Deng Xiaoping's post-Mao reforms, pushing China from authoritarianism toward a more absolute form of totalitarianism. In such a system, Pei explains, loyalty is a one-way street, and rulers owe no debt to anyone, regardless of past service or sacrifice. This echoes the dynamics under Stalin and Mao, where even close confidants were expendable.

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Loyalty is a one-way street.

The crackdown extends to retired provincial party leaders, a move considered highly unusual in Chinese political history. This departure from the implicit understanding that retired leaders would be protected signals Xi's disregard for established norms and his reliance on personal authority rather than institutional safeguards. The absence of formal term limits and democratic party practices, which were already weakened before Xi's rise, further facilitates this concentration of power. As Xi reportedly seeks a fourth term, the ongoing purges create an atmosphere of anxiety and uncertainty about future power dynamics.

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Everyone is disposable in the eyes of a totalitarian ruler.