Xi Jinping secured his third term in power on Sunday by winning re-election as General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party.
The Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee elected Xi as its general secretary for an unprecedented five-year term a Reuters report. Jinping was first elected in 2012 and will complete his 10-year term this year.
The CCP also appointed a seven-member Politburo Standing Committee (PSC) headed by Jinping, whose inner circle of power is dominated by the party leader’s allies.
Related link:Xi Jinping to unveil his new cabinet on Sunday – analyst expects it to be full of yes-men
Jinping’s management team
Jinping unveiled his new leadership, beginning with the head of the Shanghai Communist Party Li Qiang. He will probably succeed Li Keqiang as prime minister when he retires in March.
The other two prominent members of Jinping’s leadership group are Zhao Leji and Wang Huningreturning from the previous committee, and newcomers Cai Qi, thing Xuexiang and Li Xi.
Jinping’s private secretary, Xuexiang, is the youngest party member on the new body.
Qi joined the Standing Committee from his post as Beijing party leader and is considered one of Xi’s closest political allies.
Similarly, Xi joined the party as the head of Guangdong Provincial Economic Power Center as a freshman and is considered Jinping-nah.
“[It’s] an unusually one-sided victory for one faction, which is rare in the Communist Party tradition – there has been a rough balance of power in the past. Willie LammSenior Fellow at the US think tank Jamestown Foundation, told Reuters.
Hu Jintao’s surprise exit
On Saturday, former President Hu Jintao was unexpectedly escorted from the Communist Party Congress to the ornate Great Hall of the People.
It has been reported that Jintao, alongside President Xi in the Great…
