Xi Jinping Begins Third Term as President, Strengthening His Dominance

On Friday, Xi Jinping began his new term as President of China, solidifying his position as the country’s most powerful leader in decades.

In 2018, Xi Jinping pushed for a constitutional amendment to remove the two-term limit for the presidency, paving the way for his third term. During that session, three National People’s Congress deputies abstained, and two others bravely opposed the amendment.

Last October, Xi was re-elected as General Secretary. The result of the presidential election, unanimously approved by the legislature controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), officially confirmed his continued dominance over Chinese politics. He will continue to hold the highest power in the party, military, and government, with no political rivals or prominent potential successors in sight.

As his personal power consolidates, the 69-year-old Xi is positioning himself as the strong leader China needs in a hostile international environment, dismissing criticisms that his authoritarian style is leading the country into more crises.

The CCP’s strict enforcement of the “Zero-COVID” policy has hampered the economy, triggered rare large-scale protests, and heightened investor concerns about China’s long-term growth prospects. Under Xi’s leadership, China’s relations with the West have grown increasingly tense, especially given Beijing’s mounting pressure on Taiwan and its close ties with Russia during the Ukraine war.