China's Communist Party has reportedly commenced its annual secretive summer retreat in the seaside resort of Beidaihe, northern Hebei province, an event that traditionally sparks rumors of power struggles among senior officials. Although Beijing does not officially confirm the gathering, Chinese President Xi Jinping's chief of staff and close aide Cai Qi met with scholars in Beidaihe on Monday, August 3, a move analysts associate with the start of the retreat.

Historically, the Beidaihe retreat has allowed serving and retired leaders to hold informal discussions and negotiate over policy and personnel, according to Neil Thomas of the Asia Society Policy Institute. However, Thomas noted that with power increasingly centralized within the party and in Xi's hands, "the scope for genuine bargaining has narrowed."

State media have compared the resort town to the US presidential retreat Camp David and Russia's Sochi, stating that summer visits by senior officials continue to allow informal contact. Ruby Osman, a senior policy adviser at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, described the retreat as often being China's "silly season."

The timing of the retreat comes ahead of a significant party conclave in October focused on party governance. Thomas suggested that Beidaihe may provide officials an opportunity to gauge and align themselves with Xi's priorities ahead of the 21st Party Congress next year, when a broader leadership reshuffle is anticipated.

China has not officially documented top leaders' meetings in Beidaihe since the formal practice of collective summer work sessions was abolished in 2003. The radio silence surrounding the retreat often fuels rumors of political infighting or elite coups.

Sources