Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday created history, becoming the first leader of the ruling Communist Party after party founder Mao Zedong to get re-elected for an unprecedented third term in power with the prospect of ruling China for life. Xi was elected Sunday morning as General Secretary of the Communist Party for a 3rd five-year tenure by the Central Committee, which was constituted a day earlier by the once-in-a-five-year Congress. The Central Committee session, presided over by Xi, was attended by 203 members of the 20th CPC Central Committee and 168 alternate members, an official communique here said.
The Central Committee also approved a 24-member Political Bureau which in turn elected a seven-member Standing Committee, which is packed with Xi’s supporters.
Addressing the media, Xi said, “Just as China cannot develop in isolation from the world, the world needs China for its development. The Chinese economy has a great reliance potential and latitude. Its strong fundamentals will not change and it will remain on a positive trajectory over the long run. China will open its doors wide.”