China's Parliament approves Prez Xi Jinping as core leader
China's Parliament has approved President Xi Jinping as the core leader, elevating him to a status higher than others in the ruling Communist Party of China's collective leadership system. The core leader status, that had earlier been approved by the Communist Party, puts him at par with party founder Mao Zedong reinforcing his hold over all the organs of power.
From K J M Varma Beijing, Mar 8 (PTI) Chinas Parliament has given its approval to President Xi Jinpings elevation as the "core leader", reinforcing his hold over all the organs of power, ahead of his second five-year tenure. The core leader status, that had been earlier been approved by the ruling Communist Party, puts 63-year-old Xi at par with party founder Mao Zedong, his successor and reformist leader Deng Xiaoping and elevates him to a higher status above others in the Communist Party of Chinas (CPC) collective leadership system. Chinas top legislator Zhang Dejiang pledged further conformity to the CPC Central Committee with Xi as the core, state-run Xinhua news agency reported today. National lawmakers should unite more closely "around the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping as the core," to develop the system of the peoples congress and realise the dream of national rejuvenation, Zhang, the chairman of the National Peoples Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said while delivering a work report of the NPC Standing Committee. The endorsement of Xi as the core "reflects the will of all members of the Party, all members of the armed forces and all the people of China," Zhang told the nearly 3,000 NPC deputies gathered at the Great Hall of the People. NPC is often referred by the foreign media as a rubber stamp parliament for routinely approving CPCs proposals. The legislature, along with advisory body -- Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) -- are currently holding their annual sessions set to end on March 15. Zhangs remarks of Xi being the "core leader" was echoed by Yu Zhengsheng, head of the CPPCC. Yesterday, the top leadership of the military endorsed the core status of Xi. "The troops must resolutely safeguard the core and follow the leadership of the CPC," Fan Changlong, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) headed by Xi, said while taking part in a panel deliberation of the government work report delivered by Premier Li Keqiang at the annual session of the NPC. CMC is the overall high command of the 2.3 million-strong Peoples Liberation Army (PLA). Under the Chinese political system, armed forces function under the CPC. 