Xi Jinping’s firm consolidation of authority within the Chinese Communist Party and People’s Liberation Army underpins the market’s 97 percent consensus that he will remain in power through 2026. After eliminating term limits and conducting repeated purges of senior officials—including recent removals from the Central Military Commission—he faces no organized internal challenge or institutional pressure to step aside before the 21st Party Congress. Public appearances, directives on security and economic planning, and preparations for a likely fourth term in 2027 reinforce trader expectations of continuity. Health speculation tied to schedule adjustments during recent summits has not produced verifiable evidence of incapacity that would alter outcomes. A sudden medical event or unforeseen elite realignment remains the primary low-probability pathway that could still shift the implied probability.