China: Xi Jinping to Serve His Third Term as the President On Sunday, China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) removed the two-term limit on the presidency, paving the way for President Xi Jinping to potentially hold onto power indefinitely. The decision was made in a nearly unanimous vote, with only two delegates voting against the change. Xi Jinping, who assumed the presidency in 2013, was set to step down in 2023, after serving two five-year terms. However, with the term limit abolished, he is now free to run for a third term in 2023 and potentially beyond. The move is a significant departure from the practice of limiting leaders to two terms, which was instituted after the death of Mao Zedong in 1976. The term limit was seen as a safeguard against the return of the cult of personality that characterized Mao’s rule. Why was the term limit abolished? The decision to abolish the term limit was met with both praise and criticism. Supporters of Xi Jinping say that he has been an e...