"I would like to sincerely thank the entire party for the trust they have placed in us," the 69-year-old told reporters at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. He and the other leading party officials would "work diligently to fulfill our duties in order to prove ourselves worthy of the great trust of our party and our people."

The 69-year-old is likely to become the first head of state since the founder of the state, Mao Zedong, with more than two terms in office. Xi had already paved the way for this in 2018, when he abolished the two-man mandate limit for the head of state.

Xi was also reappointed as chairman of the party's Central Military Commission, according to state media.