Why the removal of presidential term limits shocked so many in China

This would let him implement his ambitious “Belt and Road Initiative”, to link Eurasia through Chinese infrastructure and trade, and the “Made In China 2025” plan, which aims to make China a manufacturing leader in advanced technologies like aviation, energy and IT.

One indication of that opposition is the public reaction to the announcement of the constitutional revision. “I walked out of there thinking, ‘Something has changed with the elite, ‘” he recalled.

The party’s potential move could pave the way for the current leader Xi Jinping to become China’s ruler for life.

Wow – China’s got a new Mao! “It was forceful and may offend many people, not just liberals”.

Chinese’s absolute decision making in this project has stoked fears amongst many about the power it gives China in nations where developments are taking place.

Analysts have recently pointed out that this is in line with Xi’s vision to make China the dominant world power, and the United States might eventually have to accept China as a dominant power over itself. As China’s strongman leading the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation”, Xi can not afford to be seen as weak or making concessions to hostile foreigners, especially not to the Americans and certainly not publicly.

China’s widely read state-run newspaper, the Global Times, said in an editorial the change did not mean the country’s president will stay in office for ever, though it did not offer much explanation.

David Kelly, director at the China Policy research company, said Xi’s full agenda on the domestic front, including concerns over high levels of debt in the economy and tackling a major overhaul of the country’s financial sector, “require you not be in a lame duck role”.

In Russia, whose President Vladimir Putin’s unyielding grasp on power is often cited as a model for Xi’s rule, the reaction to the abolition was largely positive, according to Alexander Gabuev, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Moscow Center. He declined to label China a currency manipulator previous year because he said the timing was bad: Xi had agreed to help the United States press North Korea to curb its nuclear and missile programs. The system of intergenerational appointment is completely abandoned as Xi announced no heir-apparent during the 19th Party Congress past year and arrested one of the candidates for corruption and political conspiracy.

“I think people would be more anxious because of Xi Jinping.

The Kim dynasty has ruled North Korea since the late 1940s. Trump has also been discussing imposing a tariff on imports of steel from China and other countries. Also in April, the USA will have to take a call on long-standing allegations that China was engaged in the theft of intellectual property. In that capacity, it is expected Navarro will help guide President Trump on his trade policy toward Beijing. China Xinhua News may have laid it on rather thickly by claiming that the “personal charisma of President #XiJinping fosters a love of China in countries all around the world #Xiplomacy”, but the rest of the world can nonetheless expect more efforts to control and promote Xi the man as a regional and global leader.

Corporate America has long acted as a lubricant for the relationship, prodding the United States to bring China into the World Trade Organization and lobbying against punitive trade practices.

“Liu He could be offering more concessions in terms of expanding the scope of American products and companies into the Chinese market, but there is a limit to what China is able to offer as a compromise”, Shi said.

Most obviously, he has set himself up to continue ruling (and I think “ruling” is now the right word) for the rest of his life.