Xi Jinping consolidates his power in China

The Chinese president, Xi Jinping, has made history by winning a third term as leader of the Asian giant. In this way, the leader strengthens his power, as in October he was appointed general secretary of the Communist Party for another five years and head of the party's military commission.

Xi, China's president since 2013, holds the country's most important posts, making him the most powerful Chinese leader since Mao Zedong.  

Xi's re-election has been unanimously approved by the nearly 3,000 members of China's parliament, the National People's Congress (NPC), which also elected the hitherto vice premier, Han Zheng, as vice president to replace Wang Qishan, and Zhao Leji as chairman of the parliament's standing committee.

"I vow to be loyal to the motherland and the people and work hard to build a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, more civilised and harmonious," Xi pledged from the Great Hall of the People after his re-election in a message broadcast by all state media.  

Xi's re-election comes months after Beijing faced major protests against the "covid zero" policy and a new wave of contagions and deaths. On the financial front, the world's second most powerful economy must contend with challenges such as a lack of investor and business confidence, as well as weak export demand.

As Reuters points out, China's economy grew by only 3 per cent last year, the worst in decades. For this reason, analysts such as Willy Lam tell the news agency that, during his third term, Xi "will have to focus on reviving the economy".

However, Lam warns that if Beijing continues with the measures developed so far, i.e. imposing strict control over the private sector and maintaining confrontation with the West, "the prospects for success will not be encouraging". 

Internationally, tensions with Washington have increased following the case of spy balloons detected in US airspace. Similarly, the issue of Taiwan, support for Russia during the war and the human rights situation in the country has led to a widening rift with the West.

Indeed, Russian President Vladimir Putin was one of the first international leaders to express his "sincere congratulations" to Xi. "Russia greatly appreciates your personal contribution to the strengthening of bilateral relations," Putin stressed in the congratulatory message to the Chinese president, whom he considers a "dear friend".  

"I am confident that, acting together, we will ensure the development of fruitful Russian-Chinese cooperation in various fields," the Russian leader wrote in the statement released by the Kremlin.

Days before his re-election, Xi denounced the "policy of containment, encirclement and repression" pushed by Western countries led by the United States against China. According to the Asian leader, this stance by the West has provoked "severe and unprecedented challenges" that impact on the nation's development. 

To confront this situation, Xi urged "having the courage to fight as the country undergoes profound and complex changes in both the domestic and international arenas".

For these reasons, analyst Steve Tsang - quoted by AFP - believes that we will see "a more confident China on the international stage". According to Tsang, Beijing will "assert itself more strongly" as it tries to "reduce its dependence on the rest of the world".