Today China’s Communist Party opened 19th Communist Party Congress in Beijing, most powerful political meeting in twice-a-decade. Most likely, the meeting is expected to enhance President Xi Jinping’s indomitable power over China to next level.
Xi entered Great Hall of the People, with his two predecessors Hu Jintao and Jiang Zemin, to roll out the party’s vision for the next five years as he prepares to secure a second term as general secretary.. China’s constitution limits the president and premier to two five-year terms, but there are no rules for the duration of party jobs. This has increased speculation that Xi may try to remain in some capacity after 2022, especially since no one has emerged as a clear choice to succeed him.
The 64-year-old leader gives his speech in front of a huge hammer and sickle in the hall’s chamber, the Congress is expected to stack the Communist Party’s leadership with loyalists.
The China’s Communist Party will amend its constitution to add Xi’s “new vision and thinking” on governance, Congress spokesman Tuo Zhen said, The addition would signal Xi’s inclusion in the pantheon of Chinese leadership. Such an honor has only been bestowed upon modern China’s founder, Mao Zedong, and the father of economic reforms, Deng Xiaoping.
Xi could use the Congress to lay the foundation to stay atop the 89-million-strong party even longer than the normal 10 years. This would break the unwritten two-term limit accepted by his immediate predecessors Jiang and Hu, and end the era of “collective leadership” aimed at preventing the emergence of another Mao.
Authorities stepped up policing for the week-long congress, with red armband-wearing “security volunteers” fanning out across the capital, karaoke bars closing and online kitchenware firms even suspending knife sales.The conclave, which ends next Tuesday, will select new top party members, including in the Politburo Standing Committee, China’s all-powerful ruling body.
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