Xi secures historic third term

Rapt attention: People watching a live broadcast of Xi speaking during the Congress meeting on a screen at a shopping mall in Qingzhou, Shandong province. — AFP

Beijing: Xi Jinping has secured a historic third term as China’s leader and filled his inner circle with close allies, achieving after a decade in power complete dominance over the ruling Communist Party.

The party’s Central Committee elected Xi as its general secretary for another five-year period, bringing the country back towards one-man rule after decades of power-sharing among its elite.