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OUTGOING V-P Zeng Qinghong (left) hugging President Hu Jintao yesterday at the National People's Congress as Premier Wen Jiabao looked on. He also had a congratulatory hug earlier for his successor. -- PHOTO: XINHUA
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BEIJING - CHINA'S presumptive next leader Xi Jinping (left) was formally appointed the country's VicePresident yesterday, a move designed to raise his international profile in the coming years.
The 54-year-old is expected to take over from current leader Hu Jintao in 2012, and has been given several important appointments in recent months to prepare - some say test - him for the top job.
Though the vice-presidency has little real power in the context of Chinese politics, the position will allow him to make official visits to key capitals like Washington and thereby gain valuable experience in handling foreign affairs.
Mr Xi politely bowed but made no comments when the National People's Congress (NPC), the Chinese legislature, overwhelmingly approved his nomination for the post yesterday.
He received 2,919 votes out of 2,964 ballots cast, a 98 per cent approval. Mr Xi was the only official candidate submitted for the vice-presidency vote, though a rebellious few in the NPC voted for his political rival, 52-year-old Li Keqiang, instead.
Knowing laughter rippled through the Great Hall of the People when an official read out that Mr Li had won five votes.
Aside from Mr Xi's appointment as the Vice-President, the NPC yesterday also approved a new five-year term for President Hu and legislative chief Wu Bangguo. Mr Hu was also reappointed as the chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), the country's top military decision-making body.
Chinese legislators will today confirm Premier Wen Jiabao's appointment for another fiveyear term. Tomorrow, the NPC will approve a list of new state leaders, among them three to four new vice-premiers who will be in charge of key portfolios such as finance and foreign trade.
There will be no surprises in the vote for these top Chinese leaders, as such top-flight personnel reshuffles were agreed upon behind closed doors last October when the ruling Chinese Communist Party held its five-yearly congress.
The only 'hiccup' to surface in these tightly scripted displays of political theatre is when the odd legislator or two decides to come up with his or her own alternative candidates.
During the vote for the presidency - which Mr Hu clinched with 99.7 per cent of votes - one dissenting legislator voted for his predecessor Jiang Zemin. The two men had an uneasy relationship as it was an open secret that Mr Jiang would have preferred to have put his own protege in power instead of Mr Hu.
When it came to the vote for the top military post, one lone legislator scribbled the name of former premier Zhu Rongji instead of obediently voting for Mr Hu. The move drew nervous laughter from the other legislators, as it was common knowledge that China's top military brass disliked Mr Zhu.
But the one unscripted moment that caught the most attention yesterday inevitably came from the man seen by many as the top political tactician of his generation - outgoing Vice-President Zeng Qinghong.
After Mr Xi's appointment as the new Vice-President was announced, Mr Zeng rose to congratulate and then hug him - an unusual public display of affection by the standards of Chinese politics.
To top it all, Mr Zeng walked over to hug Mr Hu and Mr Wu, the legislative chief, ensuring that his last public appearance was one that ended with gasps from the audience and a blinding blitz of camera flashes.
chinhon@sph.com.sg
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