President Xi Jinping secured a historic third term as China’s leader on Sunday and promoted some of his closest Communist Party allies, cementing his position as the nation’s most powerful leader since Mao Zedong.
Since becoming the country’s leader a decade ago, Xi has achieved a concentration of power like no modern Chinese ruler other than Mao.
Xi was picked as the party’s general secretary for another five-year term in a closed-door vote, after a week-long congress in which he cemented his control over the ruling Communist Party.
The Communist Party faithful endorsed Xi’s “core position” in the leadership and approved a sweeping reshuffle that saw his former rivals step down.
Xi abolished the presidential two-term limit in 2018, paving the way for him to govern indefinitely.
He has consolidated power since becoming general secretary in 2012, partly through a wide-ranging anti-corruption campaign that brought down his political rivals.
