As expected, Chinese head of state Xi Jinping has been re-elected as head of the Communist Party. The new Central Committee agreed to a highly unusual third term for the incumbent leader. This further increases Xi’s political dominance in the country.

Xi’s appointment was a formality. Ten years ago he was elected the new General Secretary of the Communist Party for the first time. Since then he has been largely surrounded by Loyalists. This is also reflected in the makeup of the seven-member Standing Committee, the inner circle of power dominated by Xi allies.

Four newly appointed committee members can again be counted among Xi’s confidants. Premier Li Keqiang was removed from the leadership despite not having reached the informal retirement age of 68.

Unwritten Rules

In recent decades, following a party leader’s first five-year term, it has been common for a potential successor to appear on the red carpet in the Great Hall. Xi already broke with this at the previous party congress.

None of the then members of the Standing Committee were young enough to take over the baton five years later at the 20th Party Congress and remain in office for another ten years.

According to unwritten rules, only party members who are 67 years of age or younger at the party congress may join. Those aged 68 or older usually resign, but Xi is now 69. Whether a potential successor of the right age is ready to become the new party leader five years from now, analysts say is unlikely.

Who is Xi, how does he become so powerful and what does he want with China? You can see it in this video:

Xi’s re-election comes a day after the Communist Party’s Twentieth National Congress, which began a week ago. Yesterday, on the final day of the congress, the focus was primarily on former party leader and President Hu Jintao.

Rare footage showed the former party leader and president, Xi’s predecessor, being led away from the Great Hall of the People for obscure reasons. The 79-year-old Hu eventually did, but initially seemed unwilling to cooperate. Before leaving, he pats outgoing Premier Li Keqiang on the back.

Xi barely commented on the incident:

The state-run Xinhua News Agency reported last night that Hu had been ill. Ein Liu Jiawen continued to write whiter that Hu was still recovering from unclear health issues before the Congress closed, but still wanted to be there.

“When he wasn’t feeling well during the session, his staff escorted him to a room next to the meeting location so he could rest. He’s doing much better now,” Liu said.