Xi Jinping enters league of Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping, closer to governing China for life

Chinese President Xi Jinping is here to stay, literally forever! The Chinese Communist Party on Thursday passed a resolution -- the third of its kind in its century-old existence -- that would enable the Chinese leader to stay in power indefinitely. The landmark resolution was passed at the sixth assembly of the CPC's central committee. 

The resolution's passage places Xi in the league of Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping, the only other two leaders who went on to govern China for life. While Mao Zedong led the Chinese Communist Party to power in 1949, Deng Xiaoping is credited with reforms that made China an economic powerhouse. The central committee's decision will be placed before the party congress which is scheduled for next year. The final formalities for Xi's forever tenure at the helm of affairs are expected to be ratified at the CPC congress. The party congress is held twice a decade. 

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Xi's elevation has been in the works for some time now. In 2018, when China dumped the rule that specified a two-term limit for presidents it was evident that Xi was preparing the ground for a long haul, perhaps, even indefinitely. Already, the school curriculum is being modified in China to incorporate Xi's political ideology. The 'Xi Jinping Thought' is being introduced in the school and college textbooks. Experts suggest that the latest development will further consolidate Xi's clout and power, and mark a new historical legacy.

According to Chinese experts, while the earlier two such historic resolutions in 1945 and 1981 were aimed at correcting the mistakes caused by Leftist or Rightist tendency and unifying the thoughts among Party members, and the third one will reinforce the line that has been proved correct.

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The Chinese media has been celebrating Xi's legacy, extolling how China emerged as a global power to be reckoned with. Beijing's mouthpiece, Global Times reported how China's GDP grew by about 6.4 per cent between 2013 and 2020, how 70 per cent of the global poverty reduction over the last 40 years was in and by China and how 7.6 million people in the country were lifted out of extreme poverty. The reports, obviously, failed to mention the vicious crackdown on individual freedoms, atrocities on Uighur Muslims and the Chinese real estate sector bubble burst that is now having a cascading effect on its economy.

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• China
• Chinese Communist Party
• Chinese President
• Deng Xiaoping
• Mao Zedong
• Xi Jinping
• resolution
• Beijing