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Xi Jinping has officially been re-elected as China’s president on Mar. 10, securing a historic third term and his position as the country’s longest-serving leader since Mao Zedong, Reuters reported.
With no other candidates being listed, Xi was unanimously voted by 2,952 delegates of China’s parliament, the National People's Congress (NPC), according to AP News.
He was also unanimously named as the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) commander.
During the ceremony, delegates also voted to appoint previous vice premier Han Zheng as China’s vice president, a role is that largely ceremonial, according to Nikkei Asia.
Zhao Leji, the third-ranking member of the party's Politburo Standing Committee, was elected as the new chairman of the NPC.
Politically significant
The election came in conjunction with the highly-choreographed “Two Sessions” which is being held over two weeks.
The political meeting also saw Xi’s right hand man Li Qiang being appointed as China’s new premier.
Xi, 69, previously secured his third term as the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) general secretary during the 20th Party Congress held in October 2022.
This was a norm-breaking move since his immediate predecessors, Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao, who both served two terms.
The act was possible because the NPC had removed the two-term limit for presidency in the Chinese constitution, paving the way for Xi to “potentially rule for life”, Nikkei Asia reported.
Tightening grip on power
Earlier in the day, the NPC also approved an institutional reform plan unveiled on Mar. 7, that aims to boost China’s capabilities in scientific technology as well as enhance its economic security, according to the Global Times.
The reforms were seen in some quarters as Xi's attempt to tighten the CCP's grip on state institutions.
A professor of political science at the University of Michigan cited by Nikkei Asia said that Xi is doing two things at once by “centralising power to the center while also strengthening the CCP at the expense of the state.”
Xi is also under pressure to address China’s slowing economy and manage the post-pandemic situation.
In the realm of foreign policy, he recently accused Washington of "containing and suppressing China" in a rare direct rebuke of the U.S.
While the position of president is largely "ceremonial", Xi holds the key positions where "real power resides", namely the general secretary of the CCP and chairman of the Central Military Commission , the CNN reported.
Congratulations
Singapore’s President Halimah Yacob and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong both congratulated Xi’s re-appointment as China’s president.
President Halimah said in a letter dated Mar. 10:
“Over the past decade, China has made important strides in its development, marked by a strong commitment to uplifting the lives of its people. I am confident that under your able leadership, China will continue to forge new achievements, and enjoy continued peace and prosperity.”
In his letter, PM Lee lauded China’s “impressive advancements” in its development and remarked that China and Singapore share a “close and longstanding friendship”.
“Our bilateral cooperation continues to evolve in tandem with the interests and priorities of our peoples. This reflects the depth of mutual understanding, and our commitment to working together for mutual benefit.”
He looked forward to working with Xi to bring both countries’ bilateral ties to new heights.
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Top image via Noel Celis/AFP - Getty Images