China's Parliament on Friday unanimously endorsed an unprecedented third five-year term for President Xi Jinping, paving the way for him to stay in power for life.
Xi, 69, was re-elected by the once-in-a-five-year Congress of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) as its leader in October last year, becoming the first Chinese leader after the party founder Mao Zedong to continue in power beyond the two five-year terms.
China’s legislature, the National People’s Congress (NPC) often described as the rubber stamp Parliament, for its mechanical and routine endorsement of the decisions of the CPC on Friday voted on the expected lines ratifying Xi’s third term.
Xi is widely expected to continue in power for life.
The NPC, besides ratifying Xi's Presidency, also endorsed his continuation as the Chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission, the head of the two-million-strong People’s Liberation Army, which is the largest military in the world.
He has already been elected as the General Secretary of the CPC during its last October Congress, which also elected a new leadership for all its top policy bodies.
His “unanimous election” by over 2,950 legislators was announced in a nationally televised proceeding of the NPC.
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