China names Xi Jinping as new president

BEIJING: China's parliament named Xi Jinping as president Thursday, four months after he took charge of the Communist Party with pledges of reform that have raised hopes but so far yielded little change.

Top officials of the world's most populous nation, including Xi himself, took part in a leadership vote at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, taking turns to place red papers into ballot boxes, but the outcome was never in doubt.

"Now I announce comrade Xi Jinping is selected as president of the People's Republic of China," said Liu Yunshan, a top official of the ruling party who chaired the session at the National People's Congress, the rubber-stamp parliament.

To loud applause, Xi, 59, stood up and bowed to the delegates and the platform, before shaking hands with other officials and walking off the stage.

Li Yuanchao, a member of the Communist Party's Politburo but not of its top seven-member Standing Committee, and who is seen as having reformist leanings, was named as vice-president, a largely symbolic post.

Xi's government appointment was effectively guaranteed by his party position.

He formally takes the reins of the world's second-largest economy with Li Keqiang, who is due to be anointed as premier on Friday, marking the final step in the nation's once-in-a-decade power handover.

The party leadership is the real source of authority in China, but the title of head of state will increase Xi's public and international role.

Since he took the top Communist post in November, Xi has pledged to preserve the ruling party's supremacy, as well as improve livelihoods, implement economic reforms, and crack down on corruption, which incenses popular opinion.