China's Leaders: Xi Jinping and His Men

Xi Jinping, 69, general secretary: The most formidable Chinese leader of the post-Mao era has taken a third term as head of the Communist Party without designating an obvious successor, a move that eviscerates the party's decadeslong efforts to ensure regular leadership succession and prevent a return to Mao-style dictatorship. Since taking power in 2012, he has reversed the party's embrace of collective leadership, concentrated decision-making authority in his own hands and scrapped constitutional term limits on the presidency. Having dominated the latest leadership shuffle, he enjoys a firm hand to pursue his agenda, which includes a more egalitarian society,…