Chinas parliament passed on Sunday a constitutional amendment that removes presidential term limits, allowing President Xi Jinping to remain in office indefinitely. The announcement of the vote, witnessed by reporters in the Great Hall of the People, passed with two “no” votes and three abstentions among almost 3,000 delegates. "China’s ruling Communist Party proposed the amendment last month and there was never any doubt it would pass as parliament is packed with loyal party members who would not have opposed the proposal, Reuters reported. Xi began his second five-year term as party chief in October. The government has stated that lifting the term limits is a decision that protects the authority of the party with Xi at its center. However, the party’s official People’s Daily has said this does not mean life-long terms. The amendments also include inserting Xi’s political theory into the constitution, something that was already done for the party constitution in October, and clauses to give a legal framework to a new super anti-corruption department, according to Reuters. Xi, who succeeded Hu Jintao in 2012 as General Secretary of the Communist Party, became Chinas President and assumed power after a year.