China's Communist Party unveiled a new leadership line-up today that included two men positioned to succeed President Hu Jintao and government head Premier Wen Jiabao.
Xi Jinping, who has been chief of Shanghai, and Li Keqiang, who has headed the northeast province of Liaoning, were promoted to the new nine-member Politburo Standing Committee - the innermost ring of power.
Although Mr Xi (54) and Mr Li (52) have not been openly designated to replace Mr Hu and Mr Wen five years from now, their age and status leave no doubt they are favoured to take their posts.
Mr Hu stays as Communist Party head, as well as president and head of the Central Military Commission, for five more years, while Mr Wen will continuing managing the government and its ministries.
But the next five years will test Mr Hu's power to secure an untroubled succession in an era when no leader commands absolute loyalty.
