'It is a decision for China', says US on proposal to scrap term limits

The US on Tuesday said it was for China to decide "what is best for their country" after the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) proposed to abolish presidential term limits, a move that could allow President Xi Jinping to rule for life.

"I believe that's a decision for China to make about what's best for their country," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters at her daily news conference.

She said term limits "is something that President Donald Trump supports here, but that's a decision that would be up to China".

"The President has talked about term limits in a number of capacities during the campaign. It's something that he supports here in the US.  But that's a decision that would be up to China," Sanders said.

The CPC, which is in power since 1949, on Monday proposed to amend the country's Constitution to remove the two term limits for the President and Vice President, potentially allowing Xi to remain in office indefinitely.

The move triggered concerns as 64-year-old Xi would remain a single leader doing away with collective leadership system followed by the party to prevent a dictatorship of an individual emerging from the ranks.

The party opted for two-term rule of the leadership after extensive deliberations over some of the disastrous policies pursued by party founder Mao Zedong like the infamous decade long Cultural Revolution in 1966 in which millions of people were killed.