Warm applause broke out in the Great Hall of People in Beijing on Sunday as China’s Parliament overwhelmingly voted to end the two-term limit of the presidency.
This Constitutional amendment paves the way for Xi Jinping to stay on as president until he dies, if he wishes to do so. China’s supreme law was last amended in 2004.
Of the 2963 lawmakers present, 2958 supported the change – with 2 opposing and 3 abstaining. Our Beijing correspondent filmed the exact moment when the change became official.
Xi Jinping took over as head of the ruling Communist Party in 2012, and as President in 2013. The Chinese presidency is a position that is mainly relevant in representing Beijing internationally. Xi is also chair of the Central Military Commission.
Posts in his party and the People’s Liberation Army posts do not have term limits. By removing the 10-year presidential limit that was followed by his two predecessors, Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao, Xi has ensured complete and indefinite control of China’s three key institutions.
In fact, an amendment “enshrining Xi Jinping(‘s) Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era” was recently added to the Chinese constitution
“As an important content of the amendment, the inclusion of Xi’s thought into the country’s fundamental law reflects the common aspiration of the entire Party and all Chinese people of various ethnic groups,” Shen Chunyao, the chairman of the Commission for Legislative Affairs of the 12th NPC Standing Committee, was quoted as saying by the news agency Xinhua.
The Constitution was also updated to state that the leadership of the Communist Party of China is the defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics.” This change reflects efforts – made during Xi’s term – to further tighten and deepen the partys control over all aspects of both the Chinese state and society.
