Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said the proposal to remove the 10-year presidential term limit was prompted by a "unanimous appeal" from grassroots elements of the Communist Party and Chinese society, the Financial Times reported.
China's parliament, the National People's Congress, is expected to ratify the proposal at an annual session that opened March 5.
On Feb. 25, the Communist Party announced it would remove term limits on the presidency, allowing President Xi Jinping to rule for life if he wants. The move paves the way for Xi to remain in office beyond 2023. The state constitution has limited the president and vice president to two terms of five years for the past four decades, reported the FT.
"In the process of soliciting opinions and conducting grassroots investigation and research, many regions, sectors and numerous party cadres unanimously appealed for amending the constitution," a rundown of proposed constitutional amendments circulated to delegates and reporters said, according to the FT.
The rundown said constituencies believe eliminating the term limit in the state constitution is appropriate because the separate Communist Party constitution does not place term limits on the positions of party general secretary and chairman of the central military commission, the FT reported. These two positions are typically held jointly by the president.
