Communist Party endorses Xi's unprecedented 3rd term

BEIJING—China's Communist Party on Saturday endorsed Xi Jinping's "core position" in the country's leadership, all but assuring he will be handed an unprecedented third term in power. At the end of the week-long gathering in Beijing, China's ruling party approved a sweeping reshuffle that saw several top officials—including Premier Li Keqiang— step down, allowing Xi to appoint new allies. The largely rubber-stamp meeting of among 2,300 party delegates was meticulously choreographed, with Xi determined to avoid any surprises as he enshrined his leadership for the next five years. But in an unexpected move that punctured the proceedings at the Great…