West should 'buckle up' for Xi Jinping to lead China through 20s and 30s, says Kevin Rudd: ABC News

China's ruling Communist Party Congress this weekend is the most important meeting in 40 years and appears set to concrete Xi Jinping's position as premier for life, according to former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd.

Mr Rudd — now president of the Asia Society think tank — told ABC's 7.30 host, Sarah Ferguson, he believed a historic third term for Mr Xi, which was widely expected to be confirmed at the conference, would effectively make his leadership indefinite.

He said Mr Xi had built a "cult of personality not seen since Mao [Zedong]", the founding chairman of China's ruling party.

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