World
China's Xi Jinping consolidates power with new ideology
China's President Xi Jinping has created his own political ideology, in a step towards entrenching his position at the top of the Communist Party.China's President Xi Jinping has created his own political ideology, in a step towards entrenching his position at the top of the Communist Party, BBC reported.
Top officials have made multiple mentions of "Xi Jinping Thought" at the Communist Party Congress.
The party is widely expected to rewrite its constitution to enshrine this theory before congress ends next week.
The move would elevate him to the level of previous leaders Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping.
Correspondents say it would signal Mr Xi's enormous authority within the party, and make it virtually impossible for others to challenge him.
Mr Xi opened the Communist Party congress - which determines who rules China and the country's direction for the next term - in a three hour speech on Wednesday.
On Thursday, numerous senior party officials praised "Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era" in state media reports, and said it was "the latest achievement in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context".
Previous Chinese leaders have come up with their own political ideologies which have been incorporated into the party's constitution or thinking. How these ideologies are named reflects on the leaders' importance in the party.
None, besides party founder Mao Zedong, have had their ideology described as "thought", which is at the top of the hierarchy, and only Mao and Deng Xiaoping have had their names attached to their ideologies.
Since taking power in 2012, Mr Xi has been taking steps to cement his top position in the party and in wider Chinese society, leading some to accuse him of creating a Mao-like cult of personality.
These steps have included a wide-reaching corruption crackdown that has seen high-ranking officials jailed or arrested. Some believe it is a political purge, but Mr Xi previously denied claims there was a "power struggle".
However, on Thursday, senior official Liu Shiyu said a number of those caught up in the crackdown were arrested because they had tried to stage a coup against Mr Xi.
He named top cadres Bo Xilai, Zhou Yongkang and Sun Zhengcai as among a group of "hugely corrupt" high-ranking officials who "plotted to usurp the party's leadership and seize state power".
The congress, which takes place once every five years, will finish next Tuesday.
More than 2,000 delegates are attending the event, which is taking place under tight security.