When the cameras pan to President Xi Jinping at the National People's Congress, six men are visible to his left and right. They are between sixty and seventy years old and belong to the most powerful body in the state: the Standing Committee of the Communist Party's Politburo. The concentration of power on Xi makes their appearance fade somewhat, but nevertheless: Everyone in this exclusive circle plays a clear role in steering the party, developing its ideology, and thus ensuring its hold on power.
