China’s communist party rulers argue the move is needed to ensure strong leadership at a crucial time in the country’s economic development, but worries about too much power in one man’s hand persist
In the short space of two weeks, China has announced and on now voted with near unanimous approval to amend the country’s constitution and give party state’s powerful leader Xi Jinping a mandate to stay in office indefinitely.
On Sunday, a controversial amendment to scrap a two-term limit on the office of the president was approved along with 20 other changes. The amendments passed smoothly in the largely rubber stamp National People’s Congress with only five dissenting votes.
Of the nearly 3,000 delegates to the congress, 2,958 voted in favor.
The decision to scrap a two-term limit to the president’s term in office was divulged to the public only in late February, but the Communist Party has quickly been working on a narrative that the decision was in the works for months and the changes have widespread public approval.
This despite the fact that discussion of the topic has been banned on social media and the government has taken swift measures to silence even the smallest amount of discontent.
Communist Party leaders argue changes to Article 79 of the constitution are necessary because other key positions Xi holds as party chairman and head of its Central Military Commission have no term limits. By doing away with the term limits, the argument goes, changes will ensure China maintains continuous strong leadership at a time when crucial reforms are on the horizon and the rising superpower is at a critical stage in its economic development.
Speaking after the amendments were passed, NPC official Shen Chunyao said the decision to scrap presidential term limits has a broad consensus nationwide.
“The trinity of China’s leadership, the head of the party, military and country suits our national conditions and is realistic,” said Shen, who heads the NPC’s Legislative Affairs Sub-Committee. “It is a successful arrangement that we [the party] have explored and developed over a long period of time.
