Newly elected president Xi Jinping was elected Chinese president by a unanimous* vote on Saturday at the ongoing session of the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC). Xi, 64, was also elected chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) by a unanimous vote. After the election, Xi took a public oath of allegiance* to the Constitution. Li Keqiang was endorsed as premier on Sunday at the first session of the 13th NPC. Nearly 3,000 NPC deputies voted to approve the premiership nomination of Li by newly elected President Xi. New Cabinet members The 13th NPC, China’s national legislature, decided on the new lineup for the State Council at the seventh plenary* meeting of its first session on Monday. Chinese leaders including Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attended the plenary meeting. Nearly 3,000 NPC deputies voted to endorse vice premiers, State councilors, the secretary-general of the State Council, ministers, the governor of the central bank, and the auditor-general, who were nominated by Premier Li Keqiang. Among them, Han Zheng, Sun Chunlan, Hu Chunhua and Liu He were endorsed as vice premiers, while Wei Fenghe, Wang Yong, Wang Yi, Xiao Jie and Zhao Kezhi were endorsed as State councilors. Li Ka-shing retires Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing, 90, announced on Saturday he is retiring from his companies. Li said he will officially step down as the chairman of CK Hutchison and CK Asset later this year and will serve as a senior adviser. He will be succeeded by his elder son Victor Li Tzar Kuoi. Li Ao dies Taiwan’s famous writer, critic and historian Li Ao died at the age of 83 on Sunday, according to the Taipei Veterans General Hospital. Li, who had suffered from a brain tumor since July 2015, died peacefully in the hospital, according to a statement. China’s intellectuals and netizens mourned the death of Li on Monday. (SD-Agencies) | 