BEIJING – Reforms to China’s constitution to remove term limits for thepresidency does not mean life-long terms, the ruling Communist Party’sofficial People’s Daily said on Thursday, after a surge of concern that XiJinping may stay in power forever.

The party made the announcement on Sunday, setting the stage for Xi to stayin office indefinitely should he wish, prompting accusations from some inthe country that China is set to become another North Korea.

The amendment will be approved at this month’s annual meeting of China’slargely rubber stamp parliament, which is stacked with delegates loyal tothe party who will not challenge its proposal.

In a lengthy commentary, the People’s Daily said the idea was an “importantmove” to cement the party’s leadership in every aspect.

“This amendment does not mean changing the retirement system for party andnational leaders, and does not mean a life-long term system for leadingofficials,” the paper wrote.

It pointed out that the party’s constitution, which is different from thenational constitution, clearly states that leaders cannot keep theiroffices forever and that if their health does not hold up they shouldretire.

The rules for who heads the party, the military and the state — allpositions Xi currently holds — are all the same, the paper added.

“It is a system designed to accord with the national condition and ensurelong-term peace and stability for the party and the country,” it said.

The party has had an unwritten rule that senior officials cannot bepromoted once they reach the age of 68, though the party has said that thisrule is exactly that — unwritten.

There has been heated speculation since the end of a once-every-five-yearsparty congress in October about the fate of a close Xi ally, former topgraft buster Wang Qishan, who stepped down from the elite StandingCommittee at the congress, having reached the age of 69.

But he is expected to be appointed vice-president at Parliament, with aspecific role dealing with the Trump administration.

The move is significant because if Wang does not retire, that would set aprecedent for Xi, now 64, to stay in power after he reaches what isnormally considered retirement age.

Xi will be formally elected to his second term as president at parliament,which opens on Monday. He began his second term as party boss in October. -Agencies