Absolute power doesn't mean that you can act with impunity. Xi must retain the support of the heads of the army, secret police, and such or he will be replaced. The Dictator's Handbook[0] discusses this topic in detail. The Rules for Rulers[1] is an 18 minute video that summarizes some of the principles of the book.
Winnie the Pooh changed all sorts of things for the worse that his predecessor had made progress on. He's an idiot. He should be replaced by someone more wise.
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dictator%27s_Handbook
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rStL7niR7gs
edited to add video title to second link