Could Xi Has lesser and lesser loyalists ?

Xi dispatches Fujian aides to polish up 'guns and swords'

Chinese President Xi Jinping has two power bases in the Chinese Communist Party: The Zhejiang faction and the Fujian faction, comprised of Xi's former subordinates in the two provinces.

Xi spent 17 years in Fujian beginning in the mid-1980s, then served as Zhejiang's top official in the 2000s.

One recent trend is that Xi is filling key positions in the military and police with Fujian-faction members. The latest is Wang Xiaohong, the new minister of public security, a post that supervises the police.

In Chinese politics, it is said a leader can enjoy stability when he has a firm grip on the "gun" (the military) and "sword" (the police).

Meanwhile, these have been quiet days for Xi's other power base, the Zhejiang faction. Li Qiang, Chen Min'er and Cai Qi, the top officials of Shanghai, Chongqing and Beijing, were all reappointed and missed golden opportunities for promotion.

As China heads into a crucial political season, could it be that Xi trusts only the handful of aides that have been with him since the '80s?