The son of a communist revolutionary who was purged during the Cultural Revolution is today expected to be unveiled as China's next president.

Current vice-president Xi Jinping is set to be announced as the Communist Party's new general secretary today, taking over from president Hu Jintao after the party's Peoples' Congress wrapped up yesterday.

Mr Xi, whose father, former vice-premier Xi Zhongxun, fought alongside Mao Zedong in the Chinese civil war, is then expected to take over as president early next year.

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The changing of the top order of the Chinese Communist Party will go ahead today with military style precision - nothing out of place, and the cadres all in a tight line.

While Mr Xi will be president and Li Keqiang will be prime minister, the names of the five other people who will make up the Politburo Standing Committee remain a closely guarded secret.

Wang Qishan, who has been heading up China's negotiating team with the United States over economic matters, is almost a certainty.

The four others will be drawn from a pool of around seven senior Party officials.

When Mr Xi introduces his team they will walk out one by one revealing the pecking order amongst China's most powerful team.

Millions of people around China will gather around televisions and radios as the Politburo is announced.

There are reports that Hu Jintao will no longer control the military.

If that is the case it would constitute a clean break with the old administration.