As President Xi Jinping prepares to begin what is anticipated to be his record-breaking third term as party general secretary, China's ruling Communist Party changed its constitution on Saturday, further solidifying his position of authority.
The party constitution, or charter, is the supreme law that all 96 million party members must abide by, and revisions are perpetually valid.
Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era, an ideology bearing his name that elevated him to the status of Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping, was also inserted into the constitution in 2017.
The third five-year leadership term for Xi, 69, to serve as party general secretary is scheduled to be affirmed on Sunday.
Saturday’s revisions incorporate priorities and policy directions that Xi had outlined in the past, including:
-“Two Establishes”, which defines Xi as the “core” leader of the party and cements his ideas as the guiding principles of China’s future development.
-“Two Safeguards”, which assures Xi’s “core” status within the party and the party’s centralised authority over China.
-Developing “fighting spirit”, strengthening fighting ability
-Promoting “Chinese-style modernisation”
-Gradually achieving “common prosperity”
-Developing a broader, fuller and more robust “whole-process people’s democracy”
-Requiring political loyalty in the military
-Opposing and deterring separatists seeking Taiwan independence
-Recognising the party as the “supreme political leadership force”
-Obliging all party members to learn the party’s history