With His Ideology Now in CPC’s Constitution, Xi Enjoys Mao Status

He secured a second five-year term with sights firmly set on an unprecedented third.

(Photo: The Quint)

Chinese President Xi Jinping, on Tuesday, attained iconic status enjoyed by modern China's founder Chairman Mao Zedong, with his name and ideology enshrined in the Constitution of the ruling CPC, as he secured a second five-year term with sights firmly set on an unprecedented third.

The once-in-five-year Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on its final day approved Xi’s ideology to be written into its Constitution, which is in addition to the title of “core leader” conferred on him last year, that analysts say enhances his leadership status above other leaders of the party.

Till now, only the thoughts of Mao and his successor Deng Xiaoping were enshrined in the Constitution of the world’s longest ruling Communist Party, interpreting the complex doctrine of Marxism with Chinese characteristics.

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The thoughts of Deng, China's reformist leader, were added posthumously. CPC historians compare 64-year-old Xi with party founder Mao.

The thoughts of two of Xi's predecessors, Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao, were mentioned in the Constitution, but without their names. This makes Xi only the third leader to have his thoughts on governance enshrined, which will now be part of school textbooks all over China.

Xi and Premier Li Keqiang, the number one and two in the party hierarchy, have been elected to the Central Committee ensuring their second terms mostly based on the unofficial two-term norm for top leaders followed by the party.

On Wednesday, Xi and Li along with other members of the Standing Committee would make a formal appearance before the media in a nationally televised event.

It is not yet clear whether the Standing Committee will have five members as Xi reportedly preferred, or seven like in the outgoing committee, or nine as under previous president Hu's tenure.

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While speculation was rife that Xi may have to settle for a seven-member Standing Committee with candidates representing the factions of Jiang and Hu in the Standing Committee as a compromise, analysts said Xi's masterstroke of enshrining his name in the Constitution firmed up his position as a leader above the leaders, denting the collective leadership system followed by the party till now.

This may ensure his reported plans to continue beyond two terms, securing a place similar to Mao’s. Xi's thoughts were stated to be a new guideline for the party to continue in power in the modern era, especially in the next few decades, to ensure the country – currently the world's second largest economy – becomes moderately prosperous.

(This article has been edited for length. Published in an arrangement with PTI.)