New CPC Central Committee Makeup Announced

The Communist Party's new Central Committee will have 205 members, state media reported, after President Xi Jinping declared the 20th congress a "complete success".

The list published by Xinhua News Agency revealed new additions to the committee, but did not include Premier Li Keqiang and the head of the National People’s Congress, Li Zhanshu, the second- and third-highest ranking officials in the party.

Other omissions include Wang Yang, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference chairman and Vice-Premier Han Zheng.

Only Central Committee members can serve on the Politburo Standing Committee, meaning the four will be out of the leadership body, whose members will be announced on Sunday.

Two other current members, Wang Huning and Zhao Leji, remain on the committee and are expected to stay on the top leadership.

An assistant professor at City University’s Department of Public and International Affairs, Liu Dongshu, said the Politburo Standing Committee is likely to be filled with people who are close to the president.

Two of the four departing Politburo Standing Committee members, Li Keqiang and Wang Yang – are both one year under the unofficial retirement age of 68.

In the past, an unwritten guideline known as the "seven up, eight down" rule saw those who are 68 or older step down and retire.

Liu said the political careers of Li and Wang may not be completely over.

"Maybe one of them will follow the Wang Qishan model to be the vice-president of China. It is kind of a way to give them some position in the power circle. Maybe they are not going to [have] daily involvement in the administration, but to still have some position," he said, adding that Li is more likely the one to stay.

Others who made it on the Central Committee list include foreign minister Wang Yi and Beijing’s ambassador to the United States Qin Gang.

Liu suggested that Wang, 69, is likely to take up a Politburo seat to replace Yang Jiechi, who is retiring after the party congress.