BEIJING — An unemotional, 36-word update from the state news agency, Xinhua, released in the twilight of the country’s New Year holiday, put in motion one of the most significant shifts in Chinese politics this century.
It announced that China would alter its constitution to abolish a two-term limit on the presidency, effectively paving the way for Xi Jinping, the country’s 64-year-old leader, to enjoy unchecked rule for life.
The decision had been predicted since last October’s Communist Party Congress, at which Xi failed to appoint a clear successor. Still, that China is officially stepping into a new era of totalitarianism came as a shock to the 1.4 billion people whose fates are now irrevocably tied to one man.
Source : nbcnews
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