"World Needs China": Xi Jinping After Securing Historic Third Term

Xi Jinping vowed Sunday to "work diligently" after securing a historic third term as China's leader.

Xi Jinping secured his third historic term as China's leader on Sunday and promoted some of his closest allies in the Communist Party, cementing his position as the country's most powerful leader since Mao Zedong.

The CPC Central Committee elected Xi as its general secretary for another five-year term,

Decisively returning the country toward one-man rule after decades of power-sharing among the elite.

"The world needs China," Xi Jinping said while speaking to the press.

"China cannot develop without the world, and the world also needs China," Xi said. "After more than 40 years of unremitting efforts for reform and opening up,

We have created two miracles - rapid economic development and long-term social stability."

He promised "to work diligently in the performance of our duties to prove that we are worthy of the great confidence of our party and our people."

Xi was also reappointed as chairman of China's Central Military Commission.

69 years old-

He is now certain to move into a third term as China's president, scheduled to be officially announced during the government's annual legislative sessions in March.

His appointment came after a full week of Congress of 2,300 hands-

Party delegates chose and endorsed Xi's "essential position" in leadership and approved a sweeping cabinet reshuffle that saw the former rivals step down.

The 20th Congress elected the new Central Committee of about 200 senior Party officials, who met on Sunday to elect Xi and the other members of the Standing Committee -

The pinnacle of Chinese political power.

Some of Xi's closest allies were announced to the seven-man committee.

Former Shanghai Party chief Li Qiang, a close confidant of Xi, has been promoted to number two, making him more likely to be appointed prime minister at the government's annual legislative sessions next March.

Since he became the country's leader a decade ago,

Xi has achieved a concentration of power unmatched by any modern Chinese ruler other than Mao.

BY
ProBuzzFeed