BEIJING: China’s ruling Communist Party said yesterday its highly anticipated congress would last a week, as it signalled that Vice President Xi Jinping had moved closer to taking the reins of power.
Xi was tapped for a key post overseeing the five-yearly congress that opens Thursday. At the meeting, he is expected to replace President Hu Jintao as party chief in a once-a-decade power transition.
“The preparatory meeting passed the appointment of Comrade Xi Jinping as secretary general of the congress,” said party spokesman Cai Mingzhao, adding that the next set of leaders would be unveiled at the end of the meeting.
The move likely signals that Xi’s much-expected move toward the country’s top leadership post is on track.
Xi, 59, has been number two to Hu since 2008. His likely appointment to head the all-powerful party will set the stage for his promotion to president of the world’s most populous nation, expected next March.
Xi and the rest of the future leadership take the reins amid growing pressure for the party to reform to curb rising corruption and spur economic growth, which recently slowed to its lowest quarterly rate since 2009.
“(The congress) will be one of great importance, when China is in a crucial stage of building a modern and prosperous society in all respects, taking on reform and opening up, and accelerating the transformation of the growth pattern,” Cai said at a press briefing.
Cai added that the party congress would close on November 14. The party had not previously said how long the sensitive meeting would last.
AFP
