CCP may delay 18th congress until winter

The Chinese Communist Party is considering postponing the upcoming 18th National Congress over a dispute between senior leaders on the makeup of the politburo standing committee, Reuters reported, quoting an unnamed source. “Preparations for the 18th congress have not been completed. [The party] is considering putting off the 18th congress until winter,” said the source. While the top jobs of president and premier are all but official for Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang, respectively, one source claimed that a debate has emerged over the size of the standing committee. Current president Hu Jintao is allegedly looking to cut its size to seven from nine today, which might give his faction a majority, while others in the party are looking to expand the standing committee to 11. A delay could signal continuing fall-out from the downfall of Bo Xilai, a former politburo member and contender for the standing committee.