Community Event: AFIO January Meeting “the Rise of Xi Jinping”

AFIO MEETING:  January 17, 2026
2:00 p.m.
“Bathed in Red: Revolution, Corruption, and the Rise of Xi Jinping”

The Maine Chapter of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO) will meet on Saturday, January 17, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at Kennebunk High School Economos Lecture Hall, 89 Fletcher St., Kennebunk, ME.  The meeting is open to the public.

Our speaker will be Dr. Christopher Heurlin, Associate Professor of Government and Legal Studies and Associate Professor of Asian Studies at Bowdoin College. Dr. Heurlin is the author of Responsive Authoritarianism in China (Cambridge University Press, 2016) and the forthcoming The Enduring Power of Communism (Oxford University Press, 2026).

Dr. Heurlin’s presentation “Bathed in Red: Revolution, Corruption, and the Rise of Xi Jinping” will examine how Xi Jinping emerged as China’s paramount leader and consolidated power within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Drawing on existing scholarship, Dr. Heurlin will discuss how senior leaders are selected and promoted within the CCP, the role of factional politics—including Populists, Elitists, and Princelings—and how revolutionary family legacies continue to shape elite politics. He will also explore the use of anti-corruption campaigns as a key tool in Xi’s consolidation of authority.

This talk will provide the context for understanding contemporary Chinese politics and leadership dynamics at a time when China plays an increasingly central role in global affairs.

AFIO members, guests, and prospective members are welcome to attend.  A question-and-answer period will follow the presentation.

We look forward to seeing you on January 17.

PLEASE NOTE: For information on the event, please contact the organizers directly!

https://www.afiomaine.net/