China’s parliament backs Xi Jinping for third term as president

Xi has sidelined potential challengers and filled the top of the party with his supporters since he came to power in 2012.

Xi Jinping has secured a record-breaking third five-year term as China’s president, a largely ceremonial role, putting him on track to remain in power for the rest of his life.

The nearly 3,000 members of the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s largely ceremonial parliament, voted unanimously for Xi after the constitution was amended to remove the traditional two-term limit on the post.

There were reportedly no other candidates for the position, although the process is shrouded in secrecy.

The NPC, whose members are nominated by the ruling communist party, cast 2,952 votes for Xi in about an hour. Nobody voted against him.

Xi also received unanimous support for a third term as chairman of the country’s Central Military Commission.

Since taking power in 2012, the 69-year-old Xi has sidelined all potential challengers and filled the party with his supporters, making him China’s most powerful leader since Mao Zedong.

He had appointed himself as the party’s general secretary for a third five-year term in October, breaking with a tradition of Chinese leaders handing over power once every decade.

In other NPC votes, Han Zheng was chosen as the new Vice President and Zhao Leji as the new Speaker of Parliament. Both men were from Xi’s previous team of party leaders at the Politburo Standing Committee.