Several media reported that the Research on Party Building magazine, a monthly publication on Communist theory, published an article in its July edition on “Xi Jinping Thought.”

The article stated that, since the 18th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, General Secretary of the Party, Xi Jinping, “made a series of speeches on economic reform; development; stability; domestic policies; diplomacy; defense; the management of the Party, state, and the military, and formed a series of new concepts, new thoughts, and new strategies to manage the country. He has thus further enriched the Party’s scientific theories.”

“The innovative theories since the Party’s 18th National Congress, which can be called Xi Jinping Thoughts, are the new result of localizing Marxism in China and developing the Socialist Theory with Chinese Characteristics.”

The Chinese Communist terminology has identified “Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, and Deng Xiaoping Theory.” Party leaders Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao who were the top rulers between Deng Xiaoping and Xi Jinping, had some terms used under their names, but not this significant.

However, it seems that now, this article is no longer searchable.

Source: Lianhe Zaobao, July 17, 2017
http://prd.zaobao.com/news/china/story20170717-779571

Recently Chinese media have given Xi Jinping several new titles.

A Xinhua article called him “the Supreme Commander of the people’s army” (人民军队最高统帅). “As the core of the Party’s Central Committee, the core of the whole Party, and the Supreme Commander of the people’s army, Xi Jinping …”

A China Central Television’s (CCTV’s) program called Xi Jinping “the Country’s Highest Leader” (国家最高领袖). The first episode of CCTV’s political commentary program “Continuing Reform to the End” stated, “Right before the Chinese New Year of 2017, people again felt the deep and warm care from the country’s Highest Leader.”

Radio France International also reported that some think tankers in China called Xi “the Chief Architect” (总设计师). This term was widely used to praise Deng Xiaoping as the “Chief Architect” of reform and opening up. Those think tankers called Xi “the third politician that qualifies as the Chief Architect (after Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping)” and “the Chief Architect that has made the historic leap in localizing Marxism in China.”

Sources:

1. Xinhua, July 10, 2017
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2017-07/10/c_1121295961.htm
2. Xinhua, July 17, 2017
http://news.xinhuanet.com/video/2017-07/17/c_129657476.htm
3. Radio France International, July 20, 2017
http://cn.rfi.fr/中国/20170720-中共19大前的习近平崇拜

On July 10, 2017, Xinhua published an article on Qigong (气功) exercises. Qigong is a system of gentle exercises composed of body postures and movements, breathing, and meditation. It is rooted in Chinese medicine, philosophy, martial arts, and even Buddhist or Taoist cultivation theories. People practice, or cultivate it for health, spirituality, or martial arts training.

Qigong was quite popular in China in the 1980s and 1990s. However, in 1999, the Communist Party banned Falun Gong, a mind body Qigong exercise with deep roots in the Buddhist school. Jiang Zemin, then Communist Party head, wanted the Communist ideology to win over “superstition,” which he felt was a threat to the Communist Party. Since then the Qigong environment has chilled in China.

This Xinhua article may be a hint of the government’s shift in its position on Qigong. The article reported that Qigong has been included as a sports event in the National Games that were hosted in Tianjin in July of this year. It also commented, “Qigong is a traditional sports game in China. It is not a religious superstition nor a form of mysterious arts, but rather a means for people to pursue harmony of mind and body.”

Source: Xinhua, July 10, 2017
http://sports.xinhuanet.com/c/2017-07/10/c_1121290514.htm

According to a blog that the Duowei website published, based on the latest personnel and media development, Wang Qishan will most likely stay within the party’s seven-member Politburo Standing Committee after the upcoming 19th National Congress. Wang is the Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and Xi Jinping’s right-hand man. He has been leading the anti-corruption campaign within the party since the 18th National Congress and assisted Xi to eliminate and replace the old faction within the party, the military, as well as at the municipal levels. The article listed two personnel changes that took place in the past week: Wang Shanyun, the party secretary of Gansu Province and Sun Zhengcai, the party secretary of the City of Chongqing were removed from their posts. Meanwhile Wang Qishan wrote two articles, a clear indication of Wang’s likelihood to be re-appointed to the Standing Committee: on July 17. Wang published a “bombshell” article in People’s Daily and stated that the inspection work shall continue following the 19th National Congress and to play its role as a “Sharp Sword” (in combating corruption); on June 5, Wang published a headline article on the website of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection which stated that the anti-corruption campaign is still facing “serious and complicated” challenges and vowed to “strengthen the effort and fight the battle to achieve overwhelming victory.” The article stated that another possibility for Wang to remain in power is that Wang could be appointed to be in charge of the Supervision Committee, an extension of Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. According to the article, on November 7, 2016, three regions including Beijing, Shanxi and Zhejiang were selected to participate in the Supervision system reform. Speculation indicated that Wang would be the perfect fit to lead that role if the supervision reform was to be carried out nationwide.

Sources:
1. Duowei News, July 18, 2017
http://blog.dwnews.com/post-962463.html
2. Wang Qishan’s article in reference
http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrb/html/2017-07/17/nw.D110000renmrb_20170717_1-02.htm