Asia-Pacific

China’s Xi Jinping secures historic third term in power

President consolidates power as allies promoted within inner circle

President Xi Jinping waves during the introduction of members of the new Politburo Standing Committee, the nation's top decision-making body, to the media in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on October 23rd, 2022. Photograph: NOEL CELIS/AFP via Getty Images

Sun Oct 23 2022 - 06:23

President Xi Jinping increased his dominance over China as he was named to another term as head of the ruling Communist Party in a break with tradition.

Mr Xi (69) also on Sunday promoted allies who support his vision of tighter control over society and the struggling economy.

The man 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. Mr Xi is expected by some to try to stay in power for life.

On Saturday, Mr Xi’s predecessor, Hu Jintao (79), abruptly left a meeting of the party Central Committee with an aide holding his arm.

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Former Chinese leader Hu Jintao, while seated next to President Xi Jinping, was unexpectedly escorted out of a major Communist Party congress. (Reuters)

That prompted questions about whether Mr Xi was flexing his powers by expelling other party leaders, while the state media Xinhua News Agency later reporting Mr Hu was in poor health and needed to rest.

The party also named a seven-member standing committee, its inner circle of power, dominated by Xi allies after Premier Li Keqiang, the number two leader and an advocate of market-style reform and private enterprise, was dropped from the leadership on Saturday.

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The move came despite Mr Li being a year younger than the party’s informal retirement age of 68.

Mr Xi and the other standing committee members appeared for the first time as a group before reporters on Sunday in the Great Hall of the People, the seat of China’s ceremonial legislature in central Beijing.

Mr Xi announced Li Qiang, a former Shanghai party secretary who is no relation to Li Keqiang, was the number two member and Zhao Leji, a member of the previous committee, was promoted to number three.

The number two committee member since the 1990s has become premier while the number three heads the legislature. Those posts are to be assigned when the legislature meets next year.

Leadership changes were announced as the party wrapped up a twice-a-decade congress that was closely watched for signs of initiatives to reverse an economic slump or changes in a severe “zero-Covid” strategy that has shut down cities and disrupted business.

Officials disappointed investors and the Chinese public by announcing no changes. — AP

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