China's new pressident

Mr Xi, appointed to the Communist Party's top post in November, replaces Hu Jintao, who is stepping down. Some 3,000 deputies to the National People's Congress, the annual parliament session, tookpart in the vote at the Great Hall of the People. The new premier - widely expected to be Li Keqiang - is scheduled to be named on Friday, replacing Wen Jiabao. While votes are held for the posts, they are largely ceremonial and the results veryrarely a surprise. Mr Xi, who bowed to the delegates after his name was announced but made no formal remarks, was elected by 2,952 votes to one, with three abstentions. He was named general secretary of the Communist Party on 8 November and also given the leadership of the topmilitary body, the Central Military Commission