China's Communist Party on Saturday unanimously approved a series of amendments to its constitution, further strengthening the control of Xi Jinping, who now appears set for a historic third term in power.
Here's a guide to what has -- and hasn't -- changed.
- Xi's 'core position' - China's Communist Party endorsed Xi's "core position" on the Party Central Committee -- a group of about 200 senior officials -- as well as his rarefied status "in the Party as a whole". All party members will have to "acquire a deep understanding" of Xi's unassailable role and work to uphold it, the document says. While the 69-year-old has long been referred to as the "core" of the party, the resolution uses the designation more often and in more reverent terms than the previous charter. That may indicate a further consolidation of his untrammeled power at the top of the party and state.
- No 'Xi Jinping Thought' - Many analysts were waiting to see whether the party would enshrine the term "Xi Jinping Thought" as its guiding doctrine, a move that would have placed Xi on a par with the likes of the country's founding leader Mao Zedong. The lengthier "Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era" was first woven into the charter in 2017, and argues that the party must take a commanding role in Chinese society while pushing further reform, national security, and internal discipline.
The resolution Saturday referred to the ideology by its longer name, indicating that its status had not been significantly elevated. However, it lauded the creed as "the Marxism of contemporary China and of the 21st century".
It "embodies the best Chinese culture and ethos of this era", the resolution said. - Taiwan inclusion - For the first time, the party's charter will say explicitly that it opposes Taiwanese independence, according to the resolution. The constitution will be changed to include "statements on... resolutely opposing and deterring separatists seeking 'Taiwan independence".
The existing charter says only that the party will "work continuously to strengthen the unity of all the Chinese people, including compatriots... in Taiwan" as part of efforts to achieve the "reunification of the motherland". Beijing views self-ruled Taiwan as part of its own territory and has vowed to one day take it -- by force if necessary. Tensions ratcheted up in the summer when US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the island, prompting Beijing to launch substantial military drills. During the congress opening ceremony, Xi reiterated that China would never renounce the option of using force to impose its rule on Taiwan.
Former Chinese president Hu Jintao was unexpectedly led out of Saturday's closing ceremony of the Communist Party Congress in a dramatic moment that disrupted the highly choreographed event.
Hu's departure was left unexplained, and the nation's censors appeared to quickly scrub any recent references to him from the internet.
The frail-looking 79-year-old seemed reluctant to leave the front row of proceedings at Beijing's Great Hall of the People, where he was sitting next to President Xi Jinping. A steward attempted to take a sitting Hu by the arm before being shaken off.
The steward then attempted to lift Hu up with both hands from under the armpits. After an exchange of about a minute, in which Hu spoke briefly with Xi and Premier Li Keqiang, he was led out of the hall. A seated Xi has filmed holding papers down on the desk as Hu tried to grab them. Hu patted Li's shoulder as he left, as most of his colleagues stared firmly ahead.
The week-long Congress occurred mostly behind closed doors, but Hu's departure occurred shortly after journalists were allowed to cover the closing ceremony. - 'Hard to draw solid conclusions.
- Authorities offered no explanation for Hu's exit, which came just before the 2,300 delegates at the Congress voted unanimously to endorse Xi's "core" leadership position. "We still don't know what caused Hu's actions, such as whether it was opposition to Xi's power or simply an unfortunately timed senior moment," said Neil Thomas, a senior China analyst at the Eurasia Group consultancy.
"So without more information, it's hard to draw solid conclusions about how this incident relates to Chinese politics."
Search results for "Hu Jintao" on the Twitter-like Weibo platform appeared to be heavily censored Saturday afternoon, with the most recent result dated Friday and posts limited to those of official accounts.
Xi is all but assured of being formally announced on Sunday as the party's general secretary for another five years. This will allow Xi to sail through to a third term as China's president, due to be announced during the government's annual legislative sessions in March. Since taking over from Hu a decade ago, Xi has become China's most authoritarian leader since Mao Zedong. Xi has crushed the opposition to his rule inside the party, with many of his rivals jailed on corruption charges, and he has shown no tolerance for any form of public dissent.
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