China’s No 2, Premier Li Keqiang, dropped in leadership shuffle

China's ruling Communist Party approved an amendment of the party constitution Saturday that could further enhance Xi Jinping's stature as China's leader.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang leave at the end of the closing ceremony of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China October 22, 2022. (REUTERS/Tingshu Wang)

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, the nation’s No. 2 official and a proponent of economic reforms, is among four of the seven members who will not be reappointed to the nation’s all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee.

They were not on the list released Saturday of the ruling Communist Party’s new 205-member Central Committee, which means they cannot serve on the Standing Committee.

China’s ruling Communist Party approved an amendment of the party constitution Saturday that could further enhance Xi Jinping’s stature as China’s leader.

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The expected move came at the closing session of a weeklong party congress that set the national agenda for the coming five years.

The text of the amendment was not immediately released, but before its approval an announcer read out the reasoning behind it, repeatedly mentioning Xi and his accomplishments in strengthening the military and the economy and reinforcing the party’s authority.

Xi, in brief closing remarks, said the revision “sets out clear requirements for upholding and strengthening the party’s overall leadership”.

At the previous congress in 2017, the party elevated Xi’s status by enshrining his ideas — known as “Xi Jinping Thought” — in its charter.

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The roughly 2,000 delegates — wearing blue surgical masks under China’s strict zero-COVID policy — also formally elected a new Central Committee of 205 members to govern the party for the next five years, state media said.

Xi is expected to retain the top spot when the new leadership of the party is unveiled on Sunday.

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