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Chinese parliament re-elects Xi as president

China’s President Xi Jinping swears under oath after being elected for a second term during the fifth plenary session of the first session of the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing, on March 17, 2018. (Photo by AFP)

The Chinese parliament has unanimously re-elected incumbent Xi Jinping as the country’s president with no constitutional limits on the number of terms he can potentially serve.

The National People’s Congress officially confirmed Xi for a second term on Saturday after Chinese lawmakers last week passed a constitutional amendment that removed the presidential term limits and allowed China’s incumbent president to potentially remain in office indefinitely.

The parliament also appointed Xi’s close ally and his former anti-corruption enforcer, Wang Qishan, to the post of vice president.

Voting results are seen on a screen at the fifth plenary session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on March 17, 2018. (Photo by Reuters)

Xi received a standing ovation from the legislature after winning almost every one of the 2,970 votes. Only one delegate voted against Wang’s appointment.

The incumbent Chinese president reportedly aims to expand his years-long campaign against corruption within the ruling party through the creation of a new National Supervisory Commission.

At the frontline of Xi’s anti-corruption crusade, Wang headed the party’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, punishing 1.5 million officials in the past five years, from low-level cadres to local leaders and generals.

The 69-year-old stepped down from the Communist Party’s ruling council in October last year.


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