China President Xi Jinping, as expected, has won a new term as Communist Party secretary at a congress that will be memorable for his display of political power and the dramatic exit of his predecessor Hu Jintao.
“This is the most unforgettable meet in CCP (Chinese Communist Party) history,” Tweeted Yawei Lu, director of the China Program at The Carter Center. Lu cited the secrecy around the event, “massive revision” of the party charter, party secretary’s Xi Jinping’s third term in the position, and the “humiliating exit” of Xi predecessor Hu Jintao, among other factors.
Hu Jintao, who was once the most powerful figures in China, was forcefully led out of the closing ceremony of the party gathering from his chair next to Xi.
In addition to Xi winning a third five-year term, the six members were selected for the party’s powerful Politburo.
Speaking to the press, Xi, 69, mixed praise for Marxism with nationalistic themes and reassurance that China’s once high-flying economy will advance anew. The “strong fundamentals will not change,” said Xi, who of course didn’t take any questions from reporters.
“China will open its door even wider” to the rest of the word, he pledged.
