China's Communist Party amended its constitution on Tuesday to enshrine leader Xi Jinping's political "thought" with his name, a move that will further cement his standing in the country's history as he enters a second term.

The unanimous approval to amend the constitution to include Xi's "Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era" was made on the last day of the ruling party's twice-a-decade congress in Beijing.

The enshrinement of the political ideology bearing his name into the charter carries great significance as it puts him on par with founding father Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping, the architect of the country's reform efforts that led it to open up to the global economy.

The constitution also contains the political ideas of Xi's two immediate predecessors, Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao, called the "Theory of Three Represents" and the "Scientific Outlook of Development," respectively, but without carrying their names.

"Through these many years of struggle with tenacity, our party has united and led the Chinese people and the Chinese nation in ending once and for all the miserable plight of old China, which had been bullied by foreign aggressors following the Opium War of 1840," Xi said as he concluded the congress. "Today, we more than 1.3 billion Chinese people live in jubilation and dignity."

"Our party shows strong, firm and vibrant leadership. Our socialist system demonstrates great strength and vitality," he said. "The Chinese people and the Chinese nation embrace brilliant prospects."

The 64-year-old leader of the party, who doubles as president of the world's most populous country, has explained that his political thought for a "new era" builds on and enriches Marxism-Leninism, Mao's "Thought" and Deng's "Theory" and those of his two closest predecessors.

The party has crafted a two-stage development plan for the period from 2020 to the middle of this century, the centenary of the Communist state's founding.

In his speech at the opening of the congress on Wednesday last week, Xi said China will basically realize "socialist modernization" in the first stage to 2035, after achieving the goal of building a "moderately prosperous society" by 2021, the 100th anniversary of the party's founding.

In the second stage, Xi said China will be on track to become a "great modern socialist country" that is "prosperous and strong" and a "global leader in terms of composite national strength and international influence."

To fulfill those two centenary goals, or to realize the "Chinese Dream" of national rejuvenation, Xi told other party members at the Great Hall of the People that his thought on socialism and other decisions made at the 19th National Congress will play a "vital role in guiding and ensuring success in our major endeavors."

As Xi enters his second five-year term, about 2,300 delegates of the weeklong congress adopted policy priorities for the coming years presented by Xi and an amendment to the party's constitution.

A great deal of attention was focused on whether Xi's ideology, which has now become a long-term "guide to action" for the party, would be incorporated into the constitution with his name attached.

The delegates chosen from more than 89 million members of the ruling party also elected a new Central Committee, which did not include Xi's right-hand man Wang Qishan, meaning that the party's 69-year-old top graft buster will no longer be a member of its top echelon of power, the Politburo Standing Committee.

The makeup of the party's top leadership will be unveiled on Wednesday.

All except Xi and Premier Li Keqiang will retire from the seven-member standing committee.

The five newcomers are expected to be Li Zhanshu, 67, director of the General Office of the Central Committee, seen by many as one of Xi's most trusted allies, Vice Premier Wang Yang, 62, Shanghai party boss Han Zheng, 63, Zhao Leji, 60, head of the Central Organization Department, and Wang Huning, 62, chief of the Central Policy Research Center, according to sources familiar with the situation.