Beijing: Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, the no. 2 leader of the ruling Communist Party, was today re-elected for a second five-year tenure by China’s rubber-stamp parliament, a day after Xi Jinping was re-appointed as the president with no limits on the number of terms he can serve.
Li, 62, who was nominated on behalf of Xi, was re-appointed with 2,964 votes in favour and two against during the annual session of the National People’s Congress at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People.>
Li maintained a low profile under the Chinese president mainly looking after the country’s economy as Xi consolidated power and surrounded himself with powerful aides.
Li completed the first five-year tenure along with Xi who is now regarded as the “core” leader of the party placed along with party founder Mao Zedong.>
Xi, 64, was yesterday re-elected unanimously by 2970 deputies of the NPC, days after it ratified constitutional amendment to remove the decades old two-term limit for the president and vice president posts.
He was also re-elected as the chairman of the Central Military Commission which is the overall high command of the two million strong Chinese military, the world’s largest.>
Xi’s loyalist and close confidant Wang Qishan has been elected as vice president, who like Xi is set for a lifelong tenure.>
Other officials who got elected included was Yang Xiaodu director of the national supervisory commission, a newly formed anti-corruption body with statuary powers.>
Xu Qiliang and Zhang Youxia were elected as vice chairmen of the Central Military Commission headed by Xi.
The NPC which has approved a complete overhaul of the Chinese government is also expected to nominate a host of new officials including a new foreign minister and governor of the central bank, the People’s Bank of China.>
The NPC deputies also elected president of the Supreme People’s Court, procurator-general of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, and members of the 13th NPC Standing Committee.>
(PTI)>