China’s Xi Jinping has emerged as the ruling communist party’s leader for a groundbreaking third term.
His extension of power breaks a two-decade norm of leaders transitioning after two five-year terms as the ruling member of the Chinese Communist Party.
Xi paved the way for his political re-selection by scrapping two-term limits and purging political rivals through anti-corruption campaigns.
He’s set to begin his third term with greater powers and fewer obstacles.
He’s promoted allies, forced out moderates and had his status as core leader enshrined in the constitution.
"We are fully confident and capable of creating new and even greater miracles on the new journey of the new era - miracles that will amaze the world," Xi said in a translated speech.
The 69-year-old Xi is now China’s most powerful leader since Mao Zedong.
“Potentially he could rule for life, he is still young for a leader and so there's another ten to 15 years he could easily rule for,” said Jason Young, Director of the New Zealand Contemporary China Research Centre.
After a week of closed-door meetings, seven men have been picked to run China for the next five years - once again no woman has ever made it to the top.
Their biggest test will be reinvigorating China’s sluggish economy.
"The CCP's legitimacy is not built on elections, so they promise the people we're going to make you moderately prosperous, right, so if they don't deliver on that what else do they deliver on," said Alex Tan an International Relations Professor.
Covid lockdowns have hurt the economy and the projections for growth are about 3% this year - well below the 7% of the past decade.
"There's a lot of concern it might stall and maybe even patches of recession across the country, I think they will get through however because, unlike the West, Chinese households have high savings rates," David Mahon, a Kiwi businessman in China.
“They're hoping that by 2037 they will be at least a middle level, so that's what they're hoping but that requires the world to be quite stable in order for economic growth to occur, Alex Tan said.
The 20th Party Congress has been historic for cementing Xi’s power but will also be remembered for a rare moment of unscripted drama.
Former President Hu Jintao was escorted out of yesterday's closing ceremony - the state news agency Xinhua said the 79-year-old had not been feeling well.
The moment has gone viral but can’t be found on China’s heavily censored social media platforms.
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