In an announcement that was already expected by the general public and largely a forgone conclusion, China's Communist Party has officially cleared the way for President Xi Jinping to rule as emperor for life by announcing on Sunday that it intends to abolish a two-term constitutional limit on the presidency.
The change to the country's constitution follows the decision during last October's National People's Congress to enshrine Xi's name in the country's constitution (see "Xi Could Rule For "Decades" As China's New Leadership Team Unveiled"), making him the first living leader to be granted such an honor.
In addition, the Party's appointments to the Politburo lacked a clear successor to Xi, another sign that he intends to seek a third term after the conclusion of his second term, which has only just begun.
As the NYT reports, citing local media, the Central Committee approved the amendments to the Constitution at a meeting last month. But the vague official announcement released at that time did not hint at the momentous expansion of Mr. Xi’s presidential power, which was kept secret until Sunday.
In another victory for Mr. Xi, the draft amendments to the Constitution would also add his trademark expression for his main ideas - "Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era" - into the preamble of the Constitution, as well as adding a nod to the ideological contributions of his predecessor, Mr. Hu.
The amendments are almost certain to be passed into law by the party-controlled legislature, the National People’s Congress, which holds its annual full session from March 5. The congress has never voted down a proposal from party leaders.
"Sunday’s move will make Mr. Xi much more powerful than he already was, and will dampen any remnants of resistance to his rule", said Zhang Baohui, professor of international affairs at Lingnan University in Hong Kong.
"Once people know he will serve for who knows how long, it will strengthen his power and motivate everybody to bandwagon with him," said Mr. Zhang. "Any rival will think he will be almighty."
In other words, "Dear Leader" has returned.
* * *
This historic shift was predicted by many since last fall, when Xi refused to appoint a successor as his power would begin to wane in a year or two as he entered what would've been a lame duck period for his presidency - the second half of his second term.
At the same party congress, Mr. Xi conspicuously broke with precedent by choosing not to name a pair of much younger officials to the Politburo’s ruling inner circle, the seven-member standing committee, to serve as his heirs-in-waiting. Instead, Mr. Xi chose men — no women — who were closer to his own age or older.
Mr. Xi’s strongman style has been compared to that of the Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin. But even Mr. Putin, who has amassed considerable personal power, did not try to erase his country’s constitutional limit on serving more than two consecutive terms as president as he approached that limit in 2008.
Instead, he arranged for a close adviser with limited personal influence, Dmitri A. Medvedev, to serve as president for a single term while Mr. Putin held the post of prime minister. Mr. Putin then returned to the presidency in 2012, and is running this year for re-election to another term.
Mr. Xi may now have even greater power, and the question will be how he chooses to use it.
"Xi Jinping is susceptible to making big mistakes because there are now almost no checks or balances," said Willy Lam, an adjunct professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong who is the author of a biography of Mr. Xi in 2015. "Essentially, he has become emperor for life."
In another Xi-approved break with tradition, Wang Qishan, a close ally of the president's who helped carry out Xi's campaign against corruption and disloyalty in the party, appears set to return to power as vice president. Wang, 69, stepped down from a party position last year because of his age.
The announcement sheds new light on Xi's decision to send to Liu He - one of his closest advisers and the most likely candidate to take over the PBOC later this year - to Washington on Tuesday. Instead of a trip to argue against Trump's toughening stance on free trade, Liu may be heading to Washington to explain Xi's decision to the Trump administration.
In kneejerk response, some China commentators had rather harsh words for the dramatic china, with WSJ commentator Li Yuan noting that "even though this has been talked about for a few years, it still feels like one man’s Pearl Harbor attack on the whole country."
Even though this has been talked about for a few years, it still feels like one man’s Pearl Harbor attack on the whole country. https://t.co/BP4sdlciPl
— Li Yuan (@LiYuan6) February 25, 2018
As Yuan also notes, the local reaction to the news was also notable, with Baidu searches for "migration" spiking shortly after the news came out at 4pm local time.
Baidu searches for “migration” spiked after the news came out around 4 PM that China is eliminating a two-term constitutional cap on presidential terms. pic.twitter.com/2uUw41D0sy
— Li Yuan (@LiYuan6) February 25, 2018
During his time as president, Xi has launched grandiose initiatives like the "One belt, one road" initiative to build a modern Silk Road that would cement China's position as a global hegemon to rival the US.
...Or as Ian Bremmer, founder and president of Eurasia Group, puts it...
One Belt.
— ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) February 25, 2018
One Road.
One Leader.
Comments
Speaking of term Limits, US Congress, needs some attention.
End the fed.
In reply to Speaking of term Limits, US… by Dragon HAwk
and they didnt even see it coming..
In reply to End the fed. by FreeShitter
Let them eat their virgin boy eggs.
In reply to and I they didnt even see it… by Number 9
Yo eleven !
In reply to Let them eat their virgin… by Silver Swan
Sounds reasonable to me.
Trump should do it too!
I can't believe Obama didn't think of this, after all wasn't he a "constitutional scholar" and didn't he gut most of the constitution?
In reply to Yo eleven ! by SethPoor
King Trump!!
In reply to Sounds reasonable to me. by toady
Xiriously?
In reply to King Trump!! by directaction
Really. I'm not Putin you on either.
In reply to Xiriously? by Déjà view
“Tyranny is defined as that which is legal for the government but illegal for the citizenry.”
― Thomas Jefferson
The cocksuckers!!!
In reply to Really. I'm not Putin you on… by directaction
Xi as a king could be expected since his family members were Chairman Mao's very close associates.
On another side, we know where it will end: just look at North Korea.
As for Trump as a king, just imaging bimbo Ivanka as a queen and scumbag Kushner as a Zio Grand Duke of New York. Disgusting!
In reply to King Trump!! by directaction
New York Time's Tommy Boy Friedman should be all over DJT for ruler for life. Tommy Boy is a big ChiCom, Elites know best Kneepad Fluffer for the usual One Worlders( under benevolent incest "leadership")
In reply to Sounds reasonable to me. by toady
China To Change Constitution, Allowing Xi To Stay In Power Forever
My response: Absolute power corrupts absolutely!! Without checks and balances, a nation can and does fall off the cliff. Go read George Washington's prophetic farewell address.
Does indeed look like CHINA is becoming a lot less democratic and a lot more of a dictatorship under authoritarian rule.
The year 2018-19 should be very interesting on the trade front.
In reply to Let them eat their virgin… by Silver Swan
China following nicky maduro of Venezuela though maduro may end up getting shot by a member of his own security force.
In reply to China To Change Constitution… by GUS100CORRINA
Keeping Putin has worked out very well for Russians and the anti-NWO confederation.
Let's see how this one ends up. Chinese are too numerous to ever rule like humans. Unlike ideal democracies less than 20 million in Scandinavia, China govt. will never treat people with human respect.
Think of a house with 2 dogs call it Denmark. Multiple that 2 dogs by 233. The house of China has 466 dogs. What owner will ever rule over 466 dogs with any affection?
In reply to End the fed. by FreeShitter
Without the fed, the cia, fbi, nsa etc... wouldn't even be funded or financed....guillotine them all or nothing changes.
Nothing.
In reply to CIA should be the first… by Polynik3s
CIA should be the first agency to be dismantled and hang half of them for treason. FBI should be second on the list.
We will never be able to abolish the Rothschild Central Bank, remove Mossad terrorists that did 911/Boston bombing, remove compromised politicians, or end fake War On Terror with the existing Judas State in FBI and CIA.
CIA has soldiers that would not allow dimantling of the Bank of Zionists without a fight. So the CIA must be fought.
In reply to Without the fed, none of… by FreeShitter
well great.. charge.. go get em tiger.. I'll stay here and keep score..
In reply to CIA should be the first… by Polynik3s
When will the US abolish its president's term limits?
I see that happening down the road, as democracy is being eroded and we are returning to a world of autocratic regimes.
In reply to Speaking of term Limits, US… by Dragon HAwk
democracy is not all what it is cracked up to be anyway..
who wants/needs mob rule?
In reply to When will the US abolish its… by Mementoil
Democracy is two wolves and one tiny piglet sitting down and discussing dinner plans.
In reply to democracy is not all what it… by Number 9
One excellent system is the one Italy had during the late 20s, the 30s and early 40s.
Real fascism with structure, public safety, no liberals, no hunger, true nationalism.
In reply to Democracy is two wolves and… by New_Meat
Foolish. Mussolini stated fascism was simply the merging of the corporate and government realms. Having to be propped up several times by the Germans didn’t help his cause either. Take your state security apparatus and cram it with walnuts, Bolshie!
In reply to One excellent system is the… by directaction
Don't worry tiny piglet, this wolf has your back ;-)
In reply to Democracy is two wolves and… by New_Meat
We tried term limits on Congress: I never saw a more popular ballot initiative in all the years and states I worked in that industry, and term limits initiatives passed almost every time they made a state ballot, in every form and iteration; but we can all thank former Speaker Tom Foley for effectively nullifying the movement when he sued his constituents in 1993. Ironically, and the only small consolation that comes from that action, is that it very likely ended Foley's congressional career two terms earlier than if he'd let the law stand as it was passed by the voters. Of course, he then immediately became the highest-paid lobbyist in D.C., so he still gets the last laugh--even after his previous last laugh from disenfranchising and destroying the democratically determined will of the voters of WA. The swamp always wins.
In reply to Speaking of term Limits, US… by Dragon HAwk
Oklahoma imposes term limits for state offices but our vote to limit Oklahoma federal office holders (Congress/Senate) was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court as unconstitutional.
In reply to We tried term limits on… by merizobeach
Good thing the traitors at the US Chamber of Commerce and their allies in the Congress armed China.
Meanwhile...
Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre shut in land policy protest
https://www.google.com/amp/mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKCN1G90C0
In reply to Good thing the traitors at… by William Dorritt
America next.
Que global dictatorships in 3...2...1...
USA already
"emergency authority" &
undeclared wars, indefinite detention, torture.
elections? The oligarchy's vetted candidates for
who can best control the mass-ass.
Best chosen at
4-year intervals by the masses based on the dumbest of lies,
the dumbest of reasons, and the dumbest of divisive prejudices.
In reply to America next… by Archive_file
I bet Barry Soetoro is spanking it to this article at this very moment...
Seems legit.
there is nothing more fun than toppling dictators and draw and quartering kings.
I would not be surprised if the U.S. was next, of course when the next commie democrat gets in that is.
Watch out because Obama wants to be the UN President of the planet
This is what has to happen before going to war.
Check off another box.
the problem with humans today is we don't drink from the skulls of our enemies anymore.
What’s great about Constitutions is that you can just change shit on the fly and a whim.
‘Think of them a just helpful suggestions you are completely free to fucking ignore and the only bulletproof government frameworks are global ones that supersede all national constitutions.
what a load of horseshit we’re fed. I dare anyone here to crack wise about the chinks on this.
At least they ‘changed’ theirs to fit the tyranny de jour. Ours is simply ignored, which is far worse.
Yup.
In reply to What’s great about… by RumpleShitzkin
does this mean Xi has the power of arkancide?
In reply to What’s great about… by RumpleShitzkin
Or you can just ignore it. Only a handful of people ever even read theirs.
In reply to What’s great about… by RumpleShitzkin
Kinda like the Bushes, Clintons and Obamas planned, via relatives.
You mean kinda like the C.I.A.?
In reply to Kinda like the Bushes,… by ZakuKommander
The bastions of free and open speech at Google, Facebook, Apple, Twitter, et al took notes when they suppressed dissenting voices in China for Xi that they are now applying to conservatives in the US.
Emperor for life... That has always worked out well thru history, right?
At least the Chinese do not pretend they have a democracy.
yes, the US has owners that never go away.. the politicians are put there to give the illusion of choice..
you have no choice
you have owners.
If Xi can become an owner.. more power to him
In reply to At least the Chinese do not… by maneco
Democracy fails at a scale of about 20 million.
Communism fails at a population of a hunting party.
In reply to At least the Chinese do not… by maneco
China's new abbreviation is
PROCLOL
Just goes to show you how dangerous it is to have a "living document"
Pagination