President Xi Jinping starts historic third term
China’s President Xi Jinping has been granted a historic third term by the country’s rubber-stamp parliament, cementing his status as China’s most powerful leader in decades. While the presidency holds mainly ceremonial duties, Xi’s authority stems from his roles as General Secretary of the Communist Party and Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC).
The confirmation of his third term was widely expected, with attention now focused on the upcoming appointments of Xi loyalists to key positions.
As China faces economic challenges and tense relations with the US, Xi’s centralization of power is seen as both a solution and a potential problem. The Two Sessions of the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) are closely watched as they provide insights into China’s future direction.
Since Mao Zedong, Chinese leaders were limited to two terms, but Xi had this restriction removed in 2018, giving him unprecedented reach.