China is boasting of its growing economic and political development as the country comes to a standstill for the once-every-five-years Communist Party Congress.

Over the weekend, China’s ruling Communist Party said it has agreed to amend the party constitution amid expectations that it will be incorporating President Xi Jinping’s political thought.

The communique came after a secretive four-day assembly leading up to the Congress which starts this Wednesday in Beijing. Twelve senior party officials were reportedly expelled from the Communist Party during the meeting.

Details of the document were extensively reported by the Chinese media, but there were no specifics about how exactly the constitution will be revised. The amendment, however, must include “key theories and strategic thought,” reported top Communist Party-linked paper, People’s Daily.

It also affirmed Xi’s crackdown on corruption and extolled loyalty to the party, “follow its lead and stay in accordance with the [Communist Party of China’s] Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core,” the newspaper added on Sunday.

Last October, the Communist Party gave Xi the title of “core” leader, a sign that his power was strengthening politically.

Xi is widely expected to remain for a second term after the upcoming Congress as he consolidates his grip on power. The top echelon of China’s leadership will be elected at the Congress.

During his time at the helm, the president has led a crackdown on other party officials on claims of corruption — although some have alleged Xi was simply eliminating rival factions. The anti-corruption campaign took down powerful politicians such as Zhou Yongkang.

Nationalist Global Times focused on a “new historical starting point” for the world’s second-largest economy, citing the communique.

China has witnessed profound and fundamental changes over the last five years while its achievements are “comprehensive and groundbreaking,” according to the communique.

“These historic changes and achievements indicate that China’s development stands at a new historic starting point of great and far-reaching significance for the cause of the Party and the country, ” the communique said, according to the two papers.

Source: cnbc china
China stands at 'a new historic starting point,' Communist Party says