Xi Jinping given 'core' leader title

China’s Communist Party gave President Xi Jinping the title of “core” leader on Thursday, putting him on par with past strongmen like Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping, but it signaled his power would not be absolute, Reuters reports. A lengthy document released by the party following a four-day, closed-door meeting of senior officials in Beijing said the collective leadership system “must always be followed and should not be violated by any organization or individual under any circumstance or for any reason.” But all party members should “closely unite around the Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core.” The “core” leader title marks a significant strengthening of Xi’s position ahead of a key party congress next year, at which a new Standing Committee will be constituted.