China unveils new leadership but no potential heir for President Xi Jinping

A day after the conclusion of the 19th Communist Party of China (CPC) National Congress, the party unveiled the list of members of its newly-formed Politburo Standing Committee on Wednesday (25 October) at Beijing's Great Hall of the People.

The committee will comprise seven members, including President Xi Jinping, who was elected the general secretary of the CPC Central Committee for a second term on Tuesday. There were speculations that Xi might reduce the size of the committee to five.

In an unusual move, the National Congress this year concluded without naming a potential heir for Xi, indicating the president's strong grip on the future of China, much beyond the culmination of his second term in 2022.

The inclusion of his name and ideologies to the party constitution further cemented Xi's power in the country's political arena. The move has ranked him on par with the party's founding father, Mao Zedong.

Apart from Xi, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, 62, was the only Standing Committee member who retained his position for another term.

The other members of the standing committee included Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji and Han Zheng.

Zheng, 63, the party secretary of Shanghai, has been promoted to lead the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Zhanshu, 67, a close Xi ally is expected to lead China's parliament. Zhao will be the new head of the party's anti-corruption commission, replacing Wang Qishan who stepped down on Tuesday, according to the BBC.

At the closing session of the 19th CPC congress, 2,336 delegates and specially invited delegates selected 204 members and 172 alternate members of the 19th CPC Central Committee. The session was presided over by Xi.

"We believe that all the decisions and plans the congress has made and all the outcomes it has achieved will play a vital role in guiding and ensuring success in our major endeavors," Xi reportedly said in his closing address, Xinhua reported.