BEIJING – As expected, the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Wednesday granted Xi Jinping fresh mandate as general secretary of the Party’s central committee.
During the first plenary session on Wednesday, the 204 members and 172 alternates of the 19th CPC Central Committee elected members of the Political Bureau of Central Committee and its seven-man Standing Committee.
Aside from Xi, other members of the new Standing Committee of the Political Bureau include Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji and Han Zheng.
Li Keqiang, the incumbent Prime Minister of China, and Xi were the only members of the 18th CPC Central Committee’s Standing Committee of the Political Bureau.
Other members of the Political Bureau of 19th CPC Central Committee are Ding Xuexiang, Wang Chen, Liu He, Xu Qiliang, Sun Chunlan, Li Xi, Li Qiang, Li Hongzhong, Yang Jiechi, Yang Xiaodu, Zhang Yousxia, Chen Xi, Cheng Quanguo, Chen Minér, Hu Chunhua, Guo Shengkun, Huang Kunming and Cai Qi.
You Quan along with Wang Huning, Ding Xuexiang, Yang Xiaodu, Chen Xi, Guo Shengkun, and Huang Kunming were elected members of the Central Committee Secretariat while Zhao Leji was chosen as secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI).
Xi has also been chosen as chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission while Xu Qiliang and Zhang Youxia were his vice chairmen.
Xi, 64, is the current President of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Chairman of the PRC Central Military Commission.
“I was re-elected general secretary of the CPC Central Committee. I see this as not just approval of my work, but also encouragement that will spur me on,” Xi said after presenting the new Standing Committee of the Political Bureau to the media.
Xi said the CPC new leadership will work diligently “to meet our duty, fulfill our mission and be worthy of their trust.”
The Chinese leader said China will remain open to the rest of the world with his thought of socialism with Chinese characteristics as guiding principle to achieve a new era of progress for moderately prosperous Chinese society by 2020 and modern socialist society by 2049.
“Reform and opening up is crucial in shaping China’s future and to give our people a decent and even comfortable lives,” he said.
Xi said the CPC will make greater contribution “for noble cause of world peace and development for all human kind.”
He stressed that CPC’s goal to achieve a modernized China with innovation as new driver of its economy, currently second largest in the world.
Xi conveyed also his appreciation to the 452 diplomats from 165 countries who sent congratulatory messages to the CPC, the world’s largest political party with 89 million members.
He said the 19th Party Congress has received extensive and detailed reporting and the media coverage has captured the attention of the world.
“Thank you so much for your hard work!” Xi told the journalists. (PNA)