China paves way for Emperor Xi Jinping
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remaining in power beyond 2023 gives xi a chance to push through his vision of a rejuvenated china with global clout a prosperous society a revived silk road trade route and a powerful military1 chinas communist party has handed president xi jinping an open path to indefinite rule a move analysts warn carries enormous risks by abandoning a succession model that brought stability after turbulent decades under mao1 but giving all the levers of power to one man could further erode human rights unsettle other nations and even set up traps for xis rule at home analysts warn1 the two-term limit was supposed to increase stability. by ruling beyond the standard 10-year tenure xi will be subject to much closer scrutiny by chinese citizens and the political elite said simone van nieuwenhuizen sydney-based co-author of china and the new maoists1 the announcement made abruptly on sunday further chips away at the era of collective leadership that was championed by reform leader deng xiaoping to prevent the return of another mao-like cult figure1 xis two predecessors jiang zemin and hu jintao both served two five-year terms providing a smooth succession that accompanied chinas rise to become the worlds second-largest economy1 but xi 64 has adopted maos playbook tightening his grip with a relentless crackdown on civil society and corruption enshrining his name in the party constitution and building his own personality cult1 xi who has concentrated power accumulated titles and purged potential rivals since becoming head of state in 2013 could remain president for life after the party proposed abolishing a rule limiting the top leader to two five-year terms1 chinas rubber-stamp legislature is expected to give xi his second term and remove the 10-year limit at its annual meeting opening on march 51 term limits were a crucial part of the institutionalisation of the leadership transition something that has plagued communist parties leading to both tyrannical reigns and catastrophic party decline said jonathan sullivan director of the china policy institute at nottingham university1 the rule enabled smooth transitions and preserved party unity he said1 the removal of term limits is a rejection of all this and it comes with real risks for stability in the long term1 xi provided a major hint that he intended to stay in power when no heir apparent was anointed at the five-yearly party congress in october1 the state-run global times tabloid said the central committees proposed amendment to lift term limits would improve leadership1 from the anti-corruption campaign to comprehensively advancing the rule of law to profound economic restructuring the cpc central committee with xi at the core has sturdily opened a new era for a hopeful china the daily said in an editorial1