Xi Jinping was already regarded as China’s most powerful leader since Mao Zedong, leader of the 1949 Communist revolution. But an announcement on Sunday that Beijing plans to scrap the two-term limit for the presidency shows that Mr Xi is now eliminating the remaining institutional checks on his authority. This monumental change, which sets him up to stay at the helm beyond 2022-23, has profound implications for both China and the world.

The end of the term limit is a break with hallowed tradition. Deng Xiaoping, architect of the economic reform era that began in 1978, introduced the two-term cap into the state constitution. His aim was to prevent a return to the disastrous personality cult that had surrounded Chairman Mao and contributed to the cultural revolution. Scrapping the limits sweeps away four decades of careful balancing Chinese state power, leaving the country at risk of sliding back into dictatorship.

Much will now depend on how Mr Xi uses his immense authority. Some argue that consolidated power will allow Mr Xi to advance much-needed structural reforms. Strengthening the role of state-owned enterprises in the economy, building strategic industries, de-risking a debt-mired financial system and combating pollution are some of the tasks that some analysts say require a strong hand at the tiller.