China's National Congress Removes Presidential Term Limits

On Sunday, March 10, the National People's Congress of China voted to abolish the two-term limit for the presidency, allowing Xi Jinping to remain in power beyond the end of his two presidential terms in 2023 without legal restrictions. The National People's Congress is a legislative body with about three thousand members that meets once a year. Out of the 2,958 members, only two voted against the lifetime presidency. China had established a two-term limit for the presidency since the 1990s, and now, with this removal, Xi Jinping can effectively hold power for as long as he desires. The proposal to eliminate the term limit was presented by the ruling party last month. Mr. Xi was first elected president in 2013, and previous laws allowed him to serve two five-year terms. During the 19th Congress of the Communist Party in early November, Xi Jinping's name and thoughts were officially added to the party charter, placing him on par with figures like Mao Zedong, the founder of the current political system. At that time, it was said that Xi's power and influence had increased unprecedentedly over the past few decades. The new law not only abolishes the presidential term limit but also allows the government to interpret criticism of Xi Jinping as unconstitutional. The term limits were designed by Deng Xiaoping, a prominent politician of the People's Republic of China. Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao, two former presidents, each served two five-year terms, and it is said that the purpose of the term limits was to prevent a return to chaos and conflicts arising from lifetime leadership, particularly during Mao's era and the so-called 'Cultural Revolution.' The National People's Congress is supposed to be the highest legal authority in China, but in practice, its role is to approve laws and specific demands presented by the government. China has one of the most extensive networks of internet censorship in the world. Its government is accused of repressing civil activists, political freedom advocates, lawyers, and defenders of political and ideological prisoners, as well as some believers of various religions and beliefs.