<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>Chinese former leader Hu Jintao has been led out of the closing ceremony of the Communist Party Congress.</b></span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The frail-looking 79-year-old was sitting beside President Xi Jinping when he was approached and led away by officials. No explanation was given.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After its week-long congress, the party is expected to confirm Mr Xi, 69, for a historic third term.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The event, held in Beijing every five years, cemented his position as China's most powerful leader since Mao Zedong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Hu Jintao, who held the presidency between 2003 and 2013, was on stage when two officials approached him. He said something to Xi Jinping, who nodded back.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Then Mr Hu was escorted out of the Great Hall of the People.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Earlier on Saturday, the Central Committee of 205 senior party officials was elected. Delegates rubber-stamped amendments to the party's constitution endorsing Mr Xi's ideas as guiding principles for China's future.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In his opening speech at the Congress last Sunday, he hailed the crushing of the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong as a move from "chaos to governance". He also reaffirmed China's right to use force to seize the self-ruled island of Taiwan.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Xi currently combines the positions of general secretary of the Communist Party, president and head of the armed forces. He is also referred to as Paramount or Supreme leader.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Sunday he is expected to be officially confirmed for a third term as general secretary and to unveil his new leadership team.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 2018, he abolished the presidential two-term limit, paving the way for him to rule indefinitely. BBC</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>