Xi's 'shockingly harsh' Politburo speech signals tensions over anti-graft crackdown
President tries to silence critics, observers say, by telling Politburo that he was disregarding 'life, death and reputation' in his campaign
President Xi Jinping told top officials he was disregarding “life, death and reputation” to fight corruption in a terse speech signalling a possible dispute and doubts among party elites over the campaign.
An official mainland newspaper and a person familiar with the matter confirmed the president’s statement.
Xi was believed to have made the remark in a closed-door Politburo meeting on June 26, the details of which were publicly revealed only when the city newspaper Changbaishan Daily on Monday reported that local officials received instructions from the president.
”[I] had left life and death, as well as my personal reputation, out of consideration in the combat against corruption,” Xi said, according to Changbaishan city’s party chief, Li Wei.
Li said the top leadership’s remarks emphasised a sense of crisis, and some of the words were “shockingly” sharp and harsh. However, he did not provide more details.
"We have to take the responsibility since the party and the country had put their fate in our hands,” the president was reported to have said.
