CCP Prepares for Party’s Overdue 3rd Plenary Session After Xi’s Trip to Europe: Observers

While the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping was visiting Europe earlier this week, most of the members of the Standing Committee of the CCP’s political bureau went to local areas for “research.” China observers believe these are preparations for the long overdue Third Plenary Session of the CCP. Xi returned to Beijing on May 11 after touring France, Serbia, and Hungary since May 5. Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the CCP’s political bureau and director of the General Office of the CCP’s Central Committee, accompanied Xi on his trip to Europe. Meanwhile, the rest of the Standing Committee went to different provinces for “research”, except Li Xi who was left in charge of the CCP’s compound in Beijing. According to official announcements, the CCP’s premier Li Qiang was in Xinjiang for research from May 7 to 9; Ding Xuexiang was in Dalian and Shenyang at the same time; Zhao Leji was in Henan from May 7 to 10; and Wang Huning was in Guangxi for research from May 6 to 8....