President Xi Jinping is now going to become the President of China for the third time. For this, a four-day convention of hundreds of senior officials of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is going on. In this, a historic resolution of the 100-year-old ruling party will be discussed and passed. This session, which started on Monday, is the sixth plenary session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC. About 400 plenary and other members of the CPC Central Committee are participating in this session. In this convention, President Xi Jinping will get the status of the founder of the party, Mao Zedong.
At this session, Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, gave a work report on behalf of the Political Bureau and clarified a draft resolution on the key achievements and historical experience of the CPC’s 100 years of efforts.
Xi Jinping occupies all three centers of power
Xi Jinping (68) has all three centers of power in China. These centers are the post of general secretary of the CPC, the post of chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission (CMC), which is the overall high command of the army, and the office of the president. Xi is set to complete his second five-year term as president next year.
Most Powerful Leader After Mao Zedong
Politically, the meeting is seen as crucial for Xi, who in his last nine years in power has emerged as the most powerful leader since party founder Mao Zedong.
Xi Jinping can remain in power for life
Unlike his predecessor Hu Jintao, Jinping is widely expected to remain in office for a third term. Jintao retired after two terms. Jinping could possibly remain in power for life in the wake of a significant constitutional amendment in 2018. The Constitutional Amendment removed the maximum two-term limit for the President. He was also made the “Main Neta” (Core Leader) of the party in 2016. Mao had this status only.
Prime Minister to retire
Barring Xi, most officials, including Premier Li Qing, are expected to retire after completing two terms. Over the past three decades, the party has generally used the last plenary session to resolve party matters, particularly on matters of key appointments, ideology, and party-building.
Look at the terms of two terms
The eyes of the world are on many major issues in this convention. This also includes whether the party continues to adhere to the two-term terms for top leadership set by Deng Xiaoping, the successor of party founder Mao, in addition to its leadership changes, specifically the unofficial retirement age of 68. About a dozen of the 25 members of the powerful Politburo will be over the age of 68 in October next year.
Xi Jinping praised in state media
Ahead of the convention, China’s state-run news agency Xinhua made a lengthy remark praising Xi’s achievements. These included his action on corrupt officials. Similarly, the South China Morning Post quoted a People’s Daily article as saying, “Every Chinese should sincerely support Xi.”
China’s state-run news agency Xinhua said in its remarks that since Xi was elected general secretary of the CPC Central Committee in November 2012, “China is becoming a powerful country and is now entering an era of strength.” Xi is undoubtedly the leading face in this new journey.”
The whole party behind Xi
An official statement said that the draft resolution submitted by the Political Bureau to the meeting for discussion highlights the remarkable achievements of the CPC over the past 100 years and the progress made by China under Xi’s leadership. “China has further strengthened its international status,” the statement said. All these factors paved the way for a national revival with far stronger institutions and the impetus to take bigger initiatives.” Political experts said the CPC has discussed the historic document only twice in 100 years so far.
