Xi Jinping has been reappointed as China's president with no limit on the number of terms he can serve.
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The National People's Congress, China's rubber-stamp legislature, also appointed trusted Xi ally Wang Qishan to the formerly ceremonial post of vice president.
The 64-year-old Xi is considered the most powerful Chinese leader since Mao Zedong and last Sunday was given the right to continue in office indefinitely after the legislature abolished term limits for the president and vice president.
Chinese officials defended the move saying it would bring the presidency in-line with Xi's other two main positions of head of the ruling Communist Party and commander of the armed forces.
Critics say the move will likely lead to increased political repression and infighting among party factions.
Xi took office as president in 2013 and hasn't said how many additional five-year terms he intends to serve.
The appointment of Wang Qishan is expected to further Xi's agenda of shoring up Communist Party rule while ending corruption and poverty.
Wang is known as China's "Mr. Fix-It," deployed to tackle the thorniest of crises - from crumbling banks to deadly illness to high-level corruption.
The appointment of Xi's trusted ally to the vice presidency is seen as a sign Xi will bolster the powers of the normally ceremonial post.
Wang had led the party's much-feared anti-corruption agency that investigated more than one million party members over the past several years before stepping down in October from the party's apex of power, in line with retirement norms.
Australian Associated Press
