Chinese President Xi Jinping has been confirmed as president and head of the military for an unprecedented third term at the National People's Congress in Beijing.
The process was seen as a formality after his confirmation as chief of the ruling Communist Party in October 2022 at the twice-a-decade congress.
This move effectively clears the way for Xi to rule for life, as term limits have been removed on his watch.
According to the Nikkei Asia, Xi's clinching of a third term makes him the country's longest-serving leader since Mao Zedong.
Meanwhile, the news outlet emphasised that "critics argue that the removal of term limits puts Xi on track to be among the country's most powerful leaders since Mao Zedong".
Whereas the BBC acknowledge the move's significance, they also note that "the repeated use of terms like 'rubber-stamp parliament' and 'formality' in reporting the decision in the state-run media underlines the lack of real choice for China's leaders."
The move has sparked concerns among some China experts, regarding the continuation of Xi's increasingly repressive regime, underpinned by a security clampdown and human rights abuses.
Edward Jones, China politics analyst at risk consultancy firm Verisk Maplecroft, warned that "Xi's grip on power had already been consolidated to an unprecedented degree, and another five-year term simply increases the chance that the worst features of his rule will continue."
According to Al Jazeera, Jinping's reappointment "will give him more of a say in significant decisions, such as the country's future economic and social trajectory, as well as foreign policies that may further strain tensions with the West.
" Al Jazeera also notes that "the move cements his increasingly autocratic rule, putting him amongst the most powerful Chinese leaders in history."