President Hu Jintao won a second five-year term as China's Communist Party chief Oct. 22, heading a new leadership lineup that features potential successors.

Overall, Hu emerged politically stronger from eight days of high-level political meetings and months of bargaining in the lead-up. A party congress that wrapped up Oct. 21 endorsed Hu's signature policy program to help the poor and saw the retirement of a key rival. A Central Committee meeting Oct. 22 elevated a Hu protege, Li Keqiang, into the leadership.

Yet the deals Hu struck became clearer with the inauguration of the new lineup of five holdovers from the last leadership and four newcomers. Key positions were given to associates of his rivals. Another younger politician and potential competitor to Li was also promoted.