His election into the powerful Politburo standing committee five years ago was seen as the outcome of a balancing act, but Wu Bangguo has since stood firm, surviving the fall of the Shanghai faction.
In his recent role as No2 in the party and chairman of the country's legislature, the National People's Congress, Mr Wu, 66, has strengthened the party's supremacy over the constitution.
Legal analysts also say that under Mr Wu's leadership, the NPC has evolved little from its symbolic 'rubber stamp' status given that any move towards an independent legislature would require examination of fundamental and taboo issues, such as the relationship between the party and the legislature.
Mr Wu announced four years ago that he planned to establish a framework for a socialist legal system during his term, a direction legal experts confirm the body is steadily moving towards, with laws promoting an orderly market economy advancing fastest.
But the NPC has made great achievements in legislation, especially in terms of the judicial process, market supervision and social order.
A series of laws in these areas has been passed or had drafts submitted for review, including the landmark Property Law, which came into effect this month and offers the same protection for private property as for state and collectively owned property.
This year, the NPC also approved the Anti-Monopoly Law, the country's first comprehensive competition law, which could break up state-run monopolies and places new restrictions on foreign purchases of mainland companies.