China's parliament set to endorse indefinite term for Xi Jinping

Beijing: China’s parliament commenced its annual session today, setting the stage for the ratification of controversial measures to remove two term limits for President Xi Jinping and inclusion of his thought into the Constitution.

Nearly 3,000 legislators from around the country will attend the two-week gathering of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) in Beijing. Ahead of the session, the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) has proposed to remove the two-term limit for the president and vice president.

The term limits were being followed by the party for over two decades to avert a dictatorship on the lines of party founder Mao Zedong and to ensure collective leadership in the one-party state. Xi, 64, along with Premier Li Keqiang and other senior leaders today attended the opening session of the NPC.

Often referred as the rubber stamp parliament for its routine approval of the CPC proposals, the NPC during its session is expected to endorse a constitutional amendment which remove the hurdle for Xi to rule indefinitely. Xi, already seen as the most powerful Chinese leader in decades, also heads the party and the military.

The move to remove the term limits has sparked a debate around the world and even in China over its implications. Some questions have been raised over whether China is veering back to an era of one-man rule.

The NPC is also expected to endorse another draft constitutional amendment to enshrine ‘Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era’ in the fundamental law. This would ensure Xi’s name written into the Constitution, putting him on par with past strongmen like Mao and Deng Xiaoping.

“The constitutional revision is a major move to advance law-based governance and modernise China’s system and capacity for governance,” read an explanation on the revisions to be delivered to lawmakers this morning at the first session of the 13th National People’s Congress. Scientific Outlook on Development is also proposed to be constitutionalised this time, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.