From the New York Times, I'm Sabrina Tavernisi, and this is The Daily.

Four years ago, China's ruling Communist Party proposed to remove term limits on the office

of President.

President Xi Jinping set himself up to become China's ruler indefinitely.

This is a major shift in policy.

Yet another indication he could remain in power for a long time.

A week ago, he stepped into that role.

She further cemented his power by appointing six close allies of the government's senior

leadership team.

And made a dramatic sweep of the country's top leaders.

Today, I talked to my colleague Chris Buckley on why the change is signal a new chapter for

China.

So Chris, what just happened in Beijing?

The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China now officially begins.

It just happened in Beijing as part of the grand ritual cycle of Chinese politics.

So every five years, the Chinese Communist Party, the party that rules China holds its

Congress right in the middle of Beijing in the great hall of the people, it's this grandiose

building with an enormous meeting hall with a red star on the roof.

What the Congress is is his combination of things.

Partly a state of the union speech in which China's top leader, the party leader, gives

his account of where China has been in the past few years and where it's headed.

It's a time when the Communist Party rallies its membership around the key themes that

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