Xi addresses closing session of party congress

China's ruling Communist Party approved a new slate of its 205-member Central Committee Saturday at the closing session of a week long party congress that set the leadership and agenda for the next five years. The party congress passed an amendment of the party constitution Saturday that could further enhance Xi Jinping's stature as China's leader.

The text of the amendment was not immediately released, but before its approval an announcer read out the reasoning behind it, repeatedly mentioning Xi and his accomplishments in strengthening the military and the economy and reinforcing the party's authority.

Xi is expected to retain the top spot when the new Standing Committee is unveiled Sunday. The roughly 2,000 delegates to the party congress met in the Great Hall of the People in central Beijing under China's strict zero-COVID policy.