China's 'president for life': Congress votes to abolish term limits

China has approved the removal of term limits for its leader, in a move that effectively allows Xi Jinping to remain as president for life. The constitutional changes were passed by China's annual sitting of the National People's Congress today (March 11). The vote was widely regarded as a rubber-stamping exercise. Two delegates voted against the change and three abstained, out of 2,964 votes. China had imposed a two-term limit on its president since the 1990s. It was designed to prevent another leader like Chairman Mao Zedong emerging, espousing collective leadership rather than a one-man rule and the cult of personality. But, China's president has now amassed power the likes of which has not been seen here for decades and he is even less likely to be challenged after today's result. Xi Jinping defied the tradition of presenting a potential successor during October's Communist Party Congress.