Xi Jinping Returns as China’s President

JAKARTA – The entire parliament has re-elected President Xi Jinping by using Chinese rubber stamp on Saturday (17/3/2018).

Based on news quoted by Reuters, the vote was witnessed by many journalists in the Great Hall of the People’s Beijing. The legislature is filled with delegates loyal to the ruling Communist Party, and means that the re-election of Xi is never in doubt.

On Sunday (18/3/2018) the parliament has chosen to change the constitution to remove the president’s deadline, which means Xi can survive indefinitely.

As reported earlier, China abolished the limits of President Jin Jinping’s two-period rule. That ensured Xi Jinping the most influential Chinese leader after Mao Zedong died more than 40 years ago.

China’s ruling Communist Party announced the amendment last month and approved a parliament containing members who are loyal to the party. The amendment also contains the theory that Xi presented to the constitutional amendment.

The theory has also been presented during the last party congress as quoted by Reuters on Sunday (11/3/2018). A number of clauses were also added to strengthen the new anti-corruption department.

There were only two members who declared abstained and three were absent from nearly 3,000 delegates present at the party congress and approved the proposal.

The newly elected President Xi’s term back in 2018 will come to an end in 2023. With this rule change, China is again an authoritarian state with centralized power in the hands of Xi and the Communist Party.