The reshuffle of Xi’s economic team

The Party Congress begins on Sunday. There’s little doubt that it will mark the start of a third term in power for Xi Jinping. What’s less clear is whether retirement norms will still apply to other officials. If they do, then all the top bureaucrats in charge of economic policy may have to step down in March, including the premier, PBOC governor and finance minister. The Congress should offer some clues as to their successors and the extent to which Xi is prioritizing loyalty over competence.