Xi's speech hints at ambition to surpass Mao

BEIJING -- Key details of Chinese President Xi Jinping's speech to open the Communist Party's twice-a-decade congress suggest that he is maneuvering to position himself as a revolutionary leader above even Mao Zedong.

There were two major differences between the report read out by Xi on Sunday compared with the party congress five years ago. One was an expansion to 15 points from 13, adding sections on national security and the rule of law aimed at further centralizing power.