The six dark-suited Communist Party officials joining President Xi Jinping on China's highest decision-making body are all men in their 60s, suggesting he has no plans to groom a successor any time soon.
There is no obvious challenger to Mr Xi in the group appointed to the Politburo Standing Committee, which includes two known allies and an ideologist.
When the next party congress comes round in 2022, they will all be too old to serve the customary two five-year terms as party general secretary - given a retirement age informally set at 68.
Here are the seven men in the order they were presented to the public in the Great Hall of the People:
Xi Jinping
The 64-year-old tightened his already formidable grip on power at the congress, securing a second five-year term as general secretary after his name and political theory were enshrined in the party's constitution - raising the prospect he could stay in power beyond 2022.
During the congress Mr Xi announced that China had entered a "new era" that would transform it into a global superpower with a world-class military by mid-century.
In his first term he oversaw a sweeping crackdown on dissent, targeting activists and human rights lawyers.
Mr Xi is the son of an elite Communist official who was forced out during a purge in the 1960s.
He was sent to the countryside when he was 15 for "re-education" and hard labour in a remote village. A cave where he lived is now a tourist attraction (below).
He returned to the Communist Party in the 1970s, rising steadily to election to the Standing Committee in 2007 and president in 2012.
Before his election in 2012, he spent three days visiting Ireland, among the highlights were having a calf named after him and trying his hand at football and hurling.
Li Keqiang
The 62-year-old runs day-to-day affairs as the premier. When Mr Xi took office five years ago, Mr Li was seen as the man in charge of shepherding the economy.
He promised "fair treatment" to foreign firms, a larger role for the market and structural reforms in favour of the private sector.
But analysts say the premier has been sidelined as Mr Xi has further centralised power around himself.
Li Zhanshu
The director of the party's general office and is seen as a close confidant and friend of Mr Xi's.
Perhaps more importantly to Mr Xi, he has no strong ties to ex-presidents Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao. In Chinese politics, former presidents tend to wield considerable influence.
He previously served as party secretary of the southern province of Guizhou and as governor of Heilongjiang province.
Wang Yang
The 62-year-old serves as one of four vice premiers.
He previously managed the affluent southern province of Guangdong as party boss from 2007-2012, as well as the mega-city of Chongqing from 2005-2007.
He is considered one of the party's most socially and economically liberal leaders, having advocated the role of the free market and political reform - something that may put him at odds with Mr Xi.
Wang Huning
Mr Wang is a leading Communist Party theorist, credited with assisting Mr Jiang with the "Three Represents" philosophy and former president Hu Jintao with his "Scientific Outlook on Development" theory.
Analysts say his promotion reflects Mr Xi's desire to make an impact with his own political philosophy, "Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era", which entered the party constitution this week.
Zhao Leji
In addition to joining the committee, the 60-year-old was named the new head of the powerful anti-corruption agency, which has brought down 1.5 million corrupt officials since 2012, including some seen as possible Xi rivals.
He is closely linked to Mr Xi as part of the so-called Shaanxi clique of leaders from the northern province.
Mr Zhao was party boss of Shaanxi from 2007-2012 and of the far-western province of Qinghai from 2003-2007.
Han Zheng
The 63-year-old is the party secretary of Shanghai and has been linked to the so-called "Shanghai clique" influenced by Mr Jiang.
Whoever leads the financial hub has traditionally always been a member of the Standing Committee, with the exception of former Shanghai party boss Chen Liangyu, who was jailed in 2008 for bribery and abuse of power.
