China has set the stage for President Xi Jinping to stay in his post indefinitely in a position some have compared to that of an "emperor" — a move that could put the Asian powerhouse on a collision course with Japan and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
The Chinese Communist Party's Central Committee announced Sunday that it will seek to remove limits that bar the president and vice president from serving more than two consecutive five-year terms.
Xi, 64, was approved to begin his second five-year term late last year and had been slated to step down in early 2023. But many China experts believe he has long desired to stay in office past that — possibly even positioning himself as president for life.