On Friday, Xi Jinping was re-elected as President of China for an unprecedented third term of five years, after deputies voted unanimously in favor of the 69-year-old leader.
In October, Xi was granted a five-year extension at the head of the Chinese Communist Party and the Military Commission, the two most important positions in the country’s ladder of power.
The result of the deputies’ vote announced just before 11 am (0300 GMT) was final: 2,952 votes in favor of Xi, zero votes against, and zero abstentions.
The recent disturbances did not affect the organized scene of the parliamentary session, which is an important annual political event.
Until last December, China was still implementing the most stringent policies against Covid-19 in the world, affecting economic growth and the daily lives of its residents, whether through almost daily PCR tests and long-term quarantine or through travel restrictions.
The “Zero Covid” policy was associated with the image of Jinping himself, and demonstrations broke out in November across the country on the matter.
Immediately after that, restrictions were lifted, which led to an increase in deaths.
As the country appears to be slowly emerging from the pandemic, Jinping, who has appointed loyalists close to him to top party posts, appears stronger than ever.
Recently, the People’s Daily described him in a biography it published as a tireless leader, praising his spirit of sacrifice and stressing that “ordinary people look upon him as a dear relative.”
