With absolute power, Xi calls for opening and reform in 2nd term

With absolute power, Xi calls for opening and reform in 2nd term. October. 26, 2017 07:36. by Wan-Jun Yun zeitung@donga.com.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, who established absolute authority at the latest congress of the Communist party of China, suggested “opening and reform” and “people” on Wednesday as the keywords for his second term in office.

At a news conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, he vowed to modernize China’s ruling system and capabilities while continuing to intensify reforms and open the country to make reform and opening facilitate each other and become complementarily advantageous on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the country’s reform and opening. He also expressed his belief that the prosperity of the Chinese nation would be realized during the process of reform and opening.

Suggesting annual targets to be accomplished over the next five years of his term in office, Xi stressed “people” 19 times in his remarks, pledging to make the desire for the people’s beautiful life the goal of China’s struggle and vowing to become “servants of the people” forever.

As he begins his second term without a successor, it has become even more uncertain whether he will retire after his current term ends in 2021. Most observers project that even if he does not seek long-term power, he will likely attempt to extend his power by naming one of his close aides as his successor.