China President Xi Jinping was elected general secretary of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) at the committee's first plenary session held on Sunday, for a historic third term.

The session, presided over by Xi, was attended by 203 members of the 20th CPC Central Committee and 168 alternate members.

The announcement follows a week-long Communist Party congress during which Xi hailed China&039;s policies at ‘critical moment.’

Xi was also named chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission at the session, according to a communique.

"I wish to thank the whole Party sincerely for the trust you have placed in us," Xi told journalists at Beijing's Great Hall of the People following the announcement.

He also promised to "work diligently in the performance of our duties to prove worthy of the great trust of our Party and our people."

"China cannot develop without the world, and the world also needs China," he continued. "After more than 40 years of unflagging efforts towards reform and opening up, we have created two miracles — rapid economic development and long-term social stability."

The members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee elected at the session are Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang and Li Xi.

Also elected were members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee at the session, which endorsed the members of the CPC Central Committee Secretariat nominated by the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

The session named the members of the Central Military Commission.

The session approved the secretary, deputy secretaries and members of the Standing Committee of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) elected at the first plenary session of the 20th CCDI.