Chinese president, Xi Jinping, got rid of term limits, the amount of time a person can spend in office, in the People Republic of China. Once this is in place, the president is able to stay in office as long as he wants.
NPR reports, “The move represents a dramatic departure from rules that have been in place for decades. And it nudges the country towards the kind of centralization of power that has not been seen since the days of Mao Zedong.”
The hope is that having an authoritarian figure will help make China great again.
The South China Morning Post, a Chinese newspaper, explains, “In the coming term and beyond, the now more empowered [Xi] could well fly high in pursuing his China dream of making China great and glorious again.”
The constitutional amendment repealing term limits passed on March 5. The amendment was passed which gave more power and no term limits for the president, according to ABC.
Those who didn’t like Xi’s policies and were hoping the next president would change the laws Xi put into place are not pleased that he is getting rid of term limits, The South China Morning Post explains.
Mao, who took over China for the communists in 1949, was in office for 18 years and had no limits to his power. A previous president put in term limits for the president and vice president in 1982 to avoid the kind of chaos that happened with Mao, said Elizabeth Economy, who is the director of Asia studies at the Council of Foreign Relations, to NPR in an interview.
Those who disagree with Xi’s policies are in grave danger and will face severe repercussions for their opinions such as jail or even death, Economy told NPR.
Also, Xi desires to fix the Chinese economy because of the high level of poverty. He also hopes China will once again become a world superpower.
According to Reuters, David Kelly, director at the China Policy Research Company, said Xi’s full agenda on the domestic front, including concerns over high levels of debt in the economy and tackling a major overhaul of the country’s financial sector, “require you not be in a lame duck role.”
Xi could have more power by stepping down and staying as a military leader, but he wouldn’t be able to meet with heads of states, South China Morning Post reports.
Pocket Testament League works in China to provide God’s word to the people of China.
Pray for President Xi to come to know the Lord.
Pray for those Christians who are persecuted in China for sharing their faith.
NPR: The Implications of China Eradicating Presidential Term Limits
Reuters: China Xi’s expansive agenda gets boost with move to end term limits
ABC: China’s Xi Jinping gets expanded mandate, may rule for life
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