Chinese vice president promoted to key military post
By DPA, IANSMonday, October 18, 2010
BEIJING - China’s ruling Communist Party Monday approved the promotion of state Vice President Xi Jinping to a key post that appeared to cement his status as the most likely successor to party leader Hu Jintao.
The 370 members of the party’s central committee appointed Xi as vice chairman of its Central Military Commission, a post occupied by Hu before his promotion to party leader in 2002.
Xi, who is widely expected to replace Hu as Communist Party leader in 2012 and state president in 2013, is perhaps best known within the party as the promoter of Hu’s “scientific outlook on development”.
He was promoted to the all-powerful, nine-member standing committee of the politburo at the party’s last congress in October, 2007.
The central committee also approved the party’s economic and social plan for 2011-2015 Monday, promising to promote “inclusive growth” to reduce the huge income gaps produced by 20 years of rapid economic development.
