China VP Given Key Military Commission Post
BEIJING, Oct 18, 2010 - Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping was named vice-chairman of a powerful military commission, state media said Monday -- a move believed to be a key step in his bid to succeed President Hu Jintao.
The announcement of Xi's appointment came on the closing day of the ruling Communist Party's annual meeting in Beijing, Xinhua news agency said.
The 57-year-old Xi, who had long been tipped for the promotion, becomes the second civilian member of the commission besides Hu, who is expected to step down as party chief in 2012 and as president the following year.
Xi was promoted to the powerful nine-member standing committee of the party's political bureau in 2007 and was named China's vice president the following year.
His appointment to the Central Military Commission is important because China's military answers directly to the Communist Party, and the commission serves as the nation's most potent tool of political power, analysts said.
"The Communist Party still follows the old Mao Zedong tradition that 'the power comes from the barrel of the gun'," Willy Lam, a political analyst at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, told AFP.
"Now that Xi Jinping has become the vice chairman, his succession is secured. That means he definitely without a doubt will become the (party) general secretary in 2012 ... and then state president in March 2013."
The son of a revolutionary hero and the husband of a famous singer, Xi has in the past served as the top party official in the eastern provinces of Fujian and Zhejiang, and more recently as Shanghai's top leader.
Known as a "Chinese princeling" due to his family lineage, at least part of Xi's political ascension is due to his late father, Xi Zhongxun, a communist guerrilla who fought alongside revolutionary leader Mao Zedong.
Xi is not thought to be Hu's favourite, but some observers believe that former president Jiang Zemin -- who still wields significant power even in retirement -- and his allies managed to propel Xi to prominence.
According to a communique issued at the close of the party meeting, the Communist leadership is the "fundamental guarantee" for China to achieve its development goals over the next five years, Xinhua said.
"Work in improving the (party's) ruling capacity and maintaining the party's advanced nature should be strengthened to promote the party's competence in leading the country's economic and social development," the communique said.
China's next first lady is hot!
