BEIJING -- As the annual conclave of Chinese Communist Party heavyweights in Beidaihe draws near, speculation is swirling over President Xi Jinping's plans for top appointments going into his expected third term -- and about whether Xi will even attend the gathering at all.
Every year around August, current and retired party leaders congregate at the seaside resort to discuss policy and high-level appointments, in a tradition dating to the days of Mao Zedong. The meeting is cloaked in secrecy, with no details about the schedule or agenda made public.
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