China's Communist Party has enshrined President Xi Jinping's political ideology into its constitution, putting him in the same company as the founder of modern China, Mao Zedong.
More than 2000 delegates gathered in Beijing's Great Hall of the People for the final approval to enshrine "Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era" as one of the party's guiding principles at the end of its twice-a-decade major congress.
"The Chinese people and nation have a great and bright future ahead," he told party delegates on Tuesday.
"At this great time, we feel more self-confident and proud. At the same time, we also deeply feel a heavy sense of responsibility."
Xi also promised, in his philosophy, to address China's "unbalanced and inadequate development."
Xi has steadily increased his grip on power since becoming leader in 2012. No other leader has had an eponymous ideology included in the document while in office since Mao. Deng Xiaoping's name was added after his death in 1997.
Xi has described his concept as central to setting China on the path of securing a "decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects." He's set the target dates of 2021 - the 100th anniversary of the party's founding - and the People's Republic's centenary in 2049 - for the establishment of a prosperous, modern society.
The concept Xi has touted is seen as marking a break with the past stage of economic reform ushered in by Deng in the late 1970s and continued under his successors Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao.
While China has the world's second-largest economy it continues to rank 79th in the world in terms of per capita GDP, according to the International Monetary Fund.
China's constitution was also amended on Tuesday to include references to the party's "absolute" leadership over the armed forces, which have been modernising rapidly under Xi, and a commitment to promote his signature foreign policy and infrastructure initiative known as One Belt, One Road.
The congress also selected the party's central committee, a top ruling body, and a new central discipline commission.
