President Xi Jinping Elected for the Next Five Years

On March 10, 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping was unanimously re-elected at China’s annual parliament session, an assembly of 3000 delegates who confronted a series of issues at home and nationally. This is politically unprecedented, as there once was a constitutional provision that limited a third consecutive term. However, this was abolished in 2018 and has set President Xi Jinping up for an extra five years of presidency.

During the session, President Xi emphasized that China needs to increase its national and public security. Most notably, he wants to modernize its military to make it a “Great Wall of Steel.” Greater force is being called for despite the country’s already large influence, such as with its powerful People’s Liberation Army, its military base and island building in the South China Sea, and political control in nearby countries spanning from Cambodia to Micronesia. In addition to military advancement, President Xi has replaced many top security officials with trusted allies, truly proving the hunger for increased security. 

Much of this increased security is because of the want for greater self-reliance in science and technology. This is especially true after China lost access to important chip-making technologies because of the United States. Xi’s speech also emphasized an attitude of redemption after their perceived “century of humiliation” by foreign powers. This aligns with the many documents and speeches in which he tends to focus on how China is being pinned down by the hostile United States and its Western allies. Because of this, he claims that China needs to fight with extra strength and increase security. 

The parliament session also revealed that the government has set a target for gross domestic product growth of around 5%, which is strikingly modest compared to past goals. This is attributed to the impact of China’s last three years with the Zero-COVID policy, in which the government implemented mass testing, quarantine, and strict lockdowns that spanned entire cities.