China's 20th Communist Party Congress: Xi Jinping's third term on cards? Everything you need to know

China's 20th Communist Party Congress: The 20th Chinese Communist Party (CCP) National Congress begins on Sunday, October 16, 2022, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing with 2,296 delegates set to attend. The week-long congress, which happens only twice a decade, is regarded as the most important occasion in China's political calendar.  

The meeting involves an evaluation of the party's progress, identifying the course of the upcoming cycle, and announcement of new promotions and significant appointments, including the party leader. 

Why It Matters: Xi Jinping is likely to be given a third five-year term as party leader at the conclusion of the 20th party congress, a deviation from the unofficial two-term limits that other leader had adopted.  

Xi's re-election will undoubtedly strengthen his grip on power and further call for at least another five years of aggressive foreign policy and strict domestic authoritarianism he ushered in during his first two terms as the paramount leader of China. 

How long he will rule for, and what that means for China and the rest of the world, are yet to find out. 

What To Expect: It is anticipated that this event would support Xi's unprecedented third term in office and maybe pave the way for his lifelong continuation in power like Mao. 

The Big Picture: Xi Jinping has enraged Japan, India, and other neighboring countries by asserting claims to disputed islands in the South and East China Seas and territories high up in the Himalayas. 

Lately, China is having fierce border skirmishes with India, be it Galwan Valley clash or 2017 Doklam standoff. The two nations' ties have been slowly deteriorating following border disputes. 

China has boundary disagreements with all of its neighbours, whether they are maritime or land-based nations. Since, China has been working toward expansionist goals. Pakistan, which is essentially a vassal state, is the lone exception. 

Additionally, Jinping has increased military and diplomatic pressure on Taiwan, the democratic island nation that the Communist Party claims is part of China. 

Similarly, the relations with the US have deteriorated to their lowest point after the diplomatic ties which were first established in 1978. The Biden administration has kept the tariffs imposed by the previous administration of President Donald Trump in place and has prevented China from accessing key American technologies. 

In China's Xinjiang province, authorities have jailed an estimated million or more members of predominantly Muslim ethnic group as part of a severe anti-extremism drive that the US has called genocide. 

Moreover, a severe national security regulation that was implemented in Hong Kong as a result of widespread protests against Xi's administration destroyed the city's once-freewheeling nature. 

Diving Deep: Every five years, a party congress is conducted; this year it will be on Sunday – October 16, 2022. The selection of candidates for key party leadership posts is the congress's most significant function.  

They consist of positions in the Politburo, the Party's top decision-making body, and the Politburo Standing Committee, which at present is made up of seven members and considered to be the most powerful men in China. But there are no women on the committee at present. 

Moreover, there is no transparency regarding the selecting process, and discussions in the meeting remain private. 

Yes, but: The strict "zero-COVID" policies of Xi's regime, which have had a negative impact on the economy, in recent week have called for rare protest in the country. The protest happened days before the week-long Communist Party's National Congress, where Xi Jinping is anticipated to win re-election for a third term as a leader. 

In China, the Communist Party under Xi has tightened already rigorous controls over speech and the media and expanded surveillance. It has also stepped up its crackdown on dissent, stifling even moderately critical opinions and imprisoning individuals it deems went too far.