China's ruling Communist Party has proposed removing a limit of two consecutive terms for the country's president, the official news agency said Sunday, appearing to lay the groundwork for party leader Xi Jinping to rule as president beyond 2023.
The party's Central Committee proposed to remove from the constitution the expression that China's president and vice president "shall serve no more than two consecutive terms," the Xinhua News Agency said in a brief report. It provided no further details.
The announcement came before the Central Committee was to begin a three-day meeting in Beijing on Monday to discuss major personnel appointments and other issues.
Xi's status as the most powerful Chinese leader in a generation was cemented at last year's party congress, where he was given a second five-year term as general secretary.
Ahead of the party congress, Xi had been shoring up his authority and sidelining rivals, leaving him primed to press his agenda of tightened state control and muscular diplomacy.