Rewriting history: Xi Jinping is elected as the Chinese President for the third consecutive term!

Chinese President Xi Jinping has secured a historical grip to his rank of the paramount leader of the country since its formation in 1949 as he has been elected as the president for the third term, which is an unprecedented event in the nation's history. The 69-year-old leader is rising to be one of the most scrutinized leaders of all time and his election has been closely watched by the western countries. 

Xi Jinping has secured the third term at a high time when the relations of China with its neighbours and the west are taking tumultuous turns - from border skirmish with India, claiming Taiwan's territory to the alleged spy balloons on the US airspace. His third term was neither a surprise nor would it be the end as Xinping, who is already the longest serving leader of China in its history, would reign the country, perhaps for his entire life.

Xi Jinping has no contender in the country that is being ruled by a single party. On Friday - March 10, China's political elite has officially endorsed third term for Xinping. The reelection has happened in a ceremonial vote and he will continue this mandate for the next five years. The reelection has happened at the ongoing session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing's Great Hall of the People and nearly 3,000 members of the NPC voted for Xinping unanimously. 

Following the election, the Chinese President has made a pledge of allegiance to the Constitution. The reason why the voting was ceremonial is that Xinping had already got elected as the head of the Chinese Communist Party for the third term last October. On Friday, he was also elected as the Chairman of the Central Military Commission. 

With the third term, Xi Jinping has transformed him as China's most powerful ruler since Mao Zedong. In China, the presidency is largely ceremonial as the real power vests in the position of head of the Communist Party and head of the military - both these roles are being held by Xi Jinping. The third term was made possible after Jinping had scrapped term limits for the presidency in 2018 and it was the moment when China and rest of the world judged that Jinping would rise as China's most powerful ruler.

As he has been awarded the third term, the naming of a new premier (prime minister) and various ministers would be made in some days. According to CNN, Xi Jinping's confidante Li Qiang, who is the second ranking member in the party after the former, would be the new premier of China.

The NPC on Friday has also appointed Han Zheng as the vice president and the newly appointed leaders took a public oath of allegiance to the Chinese Constitution inside the Great Hall of the People. Xi Jinping is into his second-decade of power unlike any of his predecessors. Historically, no Chinese leader had held the presidency for more than ten years, including China's founding father Mao Zedong. Jinping, who was elected as the president in 2013, is now rewriting the history. 

 

 

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