Who is replacing Xi? Hu is replacing Xi! Beijing’s next leader may well be the Party’s once-discarded crown prince, Hu Chunhua—the man Xi Jinping worked so hard to sideline. As the protégé of former CCP leader Hu Jintao, the younger Hu has recently become much more active, touring strategic projects on Xi’s behalf and appearing alongside high-ranking officials. On social media, quiet discussions are already circulating about a new version of the “Hu-Wang” duo as China’s next leadership lineup. But whoever takes the helm, their challenge will be no small feat.
