BEIJING – China’s ceremonial legislature appointed Premier Li Keqiangto, the second top leader of the ruling Communist Party, a second five-year term Sunday.
National People’s Congress delegates voted 2,964 to 2 to approve Li’s appointment at the sixth plenary session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
It comes a day after party leader Xi Jinping was reappointed China’s president with no limits on how many terms he can serve.
Li, 62, completed the first five-year tenure along with Xi, 64, who is now regarded as the “core” leader of the party placed along with party founder Mao Zedong.
New graft-buster
Beijing also approved the appointment of Yang Xiaodu as director for the National Supervisory Commission, created from a merger of the party’s internal anti-graft watchdog with one that oversees civil servants. It will have the power to detain suspects for up to six months without seeking court approval.
A marathon anti-corruption campaign led by Xi has snared thousands of government officials and managers of state companies.
