China ruling party elevates Xi's status ahead of reshuffle

Beijing

CHINA's ruling party declared President Xi Jinping as its "core", a designation that strengthens his hand ahead of twice-a-decade power reshuffle next year.

The announcement was made at the end of a four-day Communist Party conclave in Beijing,according to the official Xinhua News Agency, citing an official communique. The semantic change is significant in China's elite politics, which has for more than three decades stressed collective leadership to avoid the Mao Zedong-style personality cult blamed for fuelling the social chaos of the Cultural Revolution.