The Communist Party’s plan to remove the two-term limit on China’s presidency from the country’s constitution has sparked a global debate about the dangers of a return to strongman politics.

Even though many had anticipated Xi – the most powerful Chinese leader since Mao Zedong – would find a way to retain power after completing his second five-year term as president, which has yet to start, few could have guessed he would reveal his cards so early.

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If Xi’s goal was merely to remain in control, the presidency, a largely ceremonial office with limited power, would not be critical. Its value mainly rests on it being the best title for Xi to represent China on the world stage, but it was also the only one of his many titles – the chief of which are party general secretary and chairman of the Central Military Commission – with an explicit term limit.

The proposed constitutional amendment announced on February 25 shows that Xi plans to stay in control and is ready to abandon a set of written and tacit rules that have partially institutionalised power transitions in China for the past 15 years or more.