China’s Xi clinches third presidential term

China’s Xi Jinping secures a precedent-breaking third five-year presidential term, further tightening his control as the Asian country faces mounting challenges both at home and internationally.

About 3,000 members of China’s rubber-stamp parliament, the National People’s Congress (NPC), voted unanimously in the Great Hall of the People for Xi, 69, in an election where there was no other candidate.

Xi will be expected to steer the country in achieving its Gross Domestic Product growth target of 5 percent this year, a plan that was delivered by Premier Li Keqiang during the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People’s Congress. Compared with last year’s GDP growth of three percent, this year’s target is not high as China has reported a strong rebound of consumption and recovery.