China’s sixth-generation leaders remain sidelined despite rumors over Xi’s health

Oct 06, 2026, 10:45 am

		0
Promising members of the "post-70s generation" (Qilinghou) in China's party and government, who can be considered more fortunate than their sixth-generation seniors known as icons of misfortune. / Global Times (Huanqiu Shibao)

Rumors regarding the deteriorating health of Chinese General Secretary and President Xi Jinping have recently spread widely enough to become a global issue. Consequently, attention inside and outside China is once again turning toward his succession structure, which had remained quiet and submerged beneath the surface for the past several years.

According to Beijing sources familiar with Chinese political circles on the 5th, it is clear that President Xi's current health can hardly be described as very good. Numerous reports support the view that this assessment is close to the truth. Chief among them are reports that when he returned home from an overseas tour in early September, his wife, Peng Liyuan, assisted him as he walked down the stairs of his special aircraft.

Reports that the Chinese government requested a separate rest area for an extended period for President Xi while preparing for the U.S.-China summit held at the White House in Washington, D.C., on the 24th of last month (local time) should also be viewed in the same context. Even considering that President Xi is not young at 73, such reports likely would not have emerged had he been in good health.

That is not all. Mention must also be made of persistent rumors over recent years that he has suffered from cerebral infarction, as well as recent instances where events such as luncheons and dinners typically held after meeting numerous foreign dignitaries were often delegated to Premier Li Qiang or Politburo member and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (who concurrently serves as Director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission). Such developments appear sufficient to draw renewed attention inside and outside China to his succession plan.

Nevertheless, the current situation does not indicate that anything is imminent. This suggests that his grip on power remains intact, with no immediate urgency to hastily designate a successor. An anonymous Beijing political commentator, surnamed Cao, noted, "While President Xi's health may not be ideal, it does not appear critical. In that case, managing state affairs for a few more years is entirely possible," predicting that he will somehow persevere until 2032, when his fourth term as general secretary concludes.

Under this scenario, the sixth generation of party and government leaders, born around the 1960s, will find it difficult to stand at the center of the succession landscape. Given that even the youngest among them, Beijing Mayor Yin Yong (57), will turn 63 by that point, none would be considered suitable as next-generation successors. This holds even truer if President Xi, who represents the fifth generation preceding them, overcomes health rumors and pursues a fifth term to remain in power until 2037, as speculated by observers inside and outside China.

In contrast to the sixth generation, who have become icons of misfortune due to President Xi's prolonged rule, the so-called "post-70s generation" (Qilinghou)—those born after 1970—are on the rise in Chinese political circles. These figures represent the younger cohort that could be classified as the seventh generation, and state media have been highlighting them intensively. This focus likely reflects the high probability that President Xi's successor will emerge from their ranks.

Indeed, unless President Xi experiences an abrupt development, the next leader will almost inevitably come from among them. The conclusion follows that the sixth generation in politics will have no opportunity at all. Despite rumors surrounding President Xi's health, their misfortune appears completely unchanged and immovable.

Hong Soon-do

#China #Politics #Xi Jinping