The just-concluded sixth plenum of the 19th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing went according to the script. Only the third of its kind in the CCP's 100-year history, the document glorified the Party's achievements, whitewashed its mistakes, and elevated President Xi's status on par with the founding leader Mao.
The resolution intended to consolidate President Xi's hold on power and strengthen his image as the "core" leader. The "historic resolution," unanimously passed behind closed doors, made no effort to impartially evaluate the impact or results of President Xi's policies. Instead, the Party Central Committee "called on the entire party, the army, and the people of all ethnic groups to unite more closely around the party central committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, to fully implement Xi Jinping's new era of Socialism with Chinese characteristics."
The document draft made available praised President Xi's ideology as "embodying the best of the Chinese culture and ethos in our times and representing a new breakthrough in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context." While the resolution mentioned Mao and Deng and noted their contributions to the country and the Party, other leaders were reduced to token references.
