Bankers Forced to Study Xi’s Thoughts as Party Tightens Grip

Xi Jinping Thought is becoming inescapable for bankers and businesspeople across China.

The Communist Party leader’s musings on everything from the economy to space missions have long been required reading within the party and China’s government. But with Xi Jinping now months into a precedent-breaking third term — and with no limits on how many more he can serve — study sessions on his ideology have also become mandatory for staff at many state-owned and private-sector companies.

Even employees at global firms including BlackRock Inc., the world’s biggest fund manager, have been called in to attend lectures on the ...