China: Xi Jinping Awarded Third Term as President, most powerful leader of the country after Mao Zedong

China: Xi Jinping became the President of China for the third consecutive time. However, Xi was certain to become the president as there was no candidate against him. He has consolidated his hold as the most powerful leader of the country after Mao Zedong.

China: Xi Jinping Awarded Third Term as President, most powerful leader of the country after Mao Zedong

China: Xi Jinping became the President of China for the third consecutive time. However, Xi was certain to become the president as there was no candidate against him. He has consolidated his hold as the most powerful leader of the country after Mao Zedong. 

Unanimously elected by 3000 MPs

Nearly 3,000 members of China's rubber-stamp parliament, the National People's Congress (NPC), unanimously voted 69-year-old Xi as president at the Great Hall of the People in an election that saw no other candidates .

Xi also became the chairman of the military commission.

The vote in Xi's favor lasted about an hour and the electronic counting was completed in about 15 minutes. Xi was also voted unanimously for a third term as chairman of the country's Central Military Commission. The parliament also elected Zhao Leji as the new parliament speaker and Han Zheng as the new vice speaker. Both men are from the same team of Xi's party leaders in the Politburo Standing Committee.

The way for the third term was opened in 2018 itself

Xi jinping had opened the way for his third term in the year 2018 itself. Xi had already abolished presidential term limits in 2018, setting the stage for another term his power had already been extended last October, when he was reappointed general secretary of the ruling Communist Party's Central Committee for another five years.

Over the next two days, officials approved by Xi are set to be appointed or elected to top positions in the cabinet, including Premier-in-waiting Li Qiang, who is expected to be named China's No. 2 position.