President Xi Jinping delivered the first doctrine on Communist Party history by a Chinese leader in 40 years, giving him a mandate to potentially rule for life as a major meeting wraps up in Beijing.

The approval of the landmark document was announced in a communique Thursday, the official Xinhua News Agency said, as the four-day plenum at a military hotel in Beijing closed. Only Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping have authored a so-called historical resolution, and both went on to dominate party politics until they died. The full text of the resolution hasn’t been released yet.

The Central Committee called on the country to “unite around the party with Xi at the core”, implement his doctrine to strive for party goals set through 2049 and realise “the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation,” the communique said, according to Xinhua.

Getting the group of 400 mostly male party elites, including state leaders, military chiefs, provincial bosses and top academics, to endorse his vision sends a strong signal Xi has the power base to clinch a precedent-defying third term.