China names conservative, older leadership

However, all three are in the Politburo, a group that ranks below the standing committee.

The leadership is divided, said Jean-Pierre Cabestan, a Chinese politics expert at Hong Kong Baptist University, adding however that the new leadership would find it easier to make progress on economic reform rather than political change.

It's easier for them to move to a new growth model. I think they agree upon that and that won't be the hardest task. But I see a lot of political paralysis.

Even for China, this is an older line-up, with an average age of 63.4 compared with 62.1 five years ago.

Except for Xi and his deputy Li Keqiang, all the others in the standing committee - the innermost circle of power in China's authoritarian government - are 64 or over and will have to retire within five years.

That could open the way for Wang and Li Yuanchao to replace them, at the next party congress in 2017, perhaps along with so-called sixth generation leaders like Inner Mongolia party chief Hu Chunhua.

The standing committee has as expected been cut to seven members from nine, which should ease consensus building and decision making.

SEVERE CHALLENGES

Xi, who was also appointed head of the party's top military body, said in an address following the party's once-in-five years congress that he understood the people's desire for a better life but warned of severe challenges going forward.

We are not complacent, and we will never rest on our laurels, he said after introducing the other six

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