China ’s Leader Xi Jinping Secures Historic Third Term In Power 

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China’s Xi Jinping secures unprecedented third term cementing status as most powerful since Mao.

Xi, who took power in 2012, was awarded a third five-year term as general secretary, discarding a party custom under which his predecessor left after 10 years. The 69-year-old leader is expected by some to try to stay in power for life.

China’s Xi Jinping has secured a historic third term as the general secretary of the ruling Communist Party, leading the world’s most populous country into a second decade.

Mr Xi, 69, will also continue as Chairman of the Central Military Commission, the country’s two most important positions, and affirming his status as the most powerful since Mao Zedong.

On Sunday, Mr Xi revealed the lineup for the next Politburo Standing Committee, China’s most powerful governing body of seven men.

He led the team out in single file on the red carpet, in order of rank: Li Qiang, 63; Zhao Leji, 65; Wang Huning, 67; Cai Qi, 66; Ding Xuexiang, 60; and Li Xi, 66.

The prominent placement of Li Qiang, 63, suggests that he is likely to be rubber-stamped as the new premier next spring during annual legislative meetings, making him China’s second most-powerful after Mr Xi.

He was most recently party chief of Shanghai, and such a promotion could be seen as a remarkable political comeback after Covid infections roiled China’s most populous city this year and put him under significant pressure.

Mr Zhao and Mr Wang held seats on the previous standing committee and are continuing for another five years, while the rest are newcomers to the elite governing body.

All are considered to have close allegiance to Mr Xi. None appear to have the right mix of credentials and age to be designated as a successor to take the reins in another five years at the next party congress.

By installing loyalists and purging political opponents, Mr Xi appears to have cemented his ‘ruler for life’ status.

Staying on for an unprecedented third term completes Mr Xi’s campaign to scrap succession protocols that were installed by the Party after Chairman Mao Zedong’s death to prevent disastrous one-man rule from happening again.

China may be governed by one party, but there have traditionally been factional politics at play, which Mr Xi has effectively kneecapped by ousting rivals over this last decade in power.