My Take | China’s third plenum and the 3 major challenges facing ‘Xi the reformer’
- Xinhua article marking third plenum hails Xi Jinping as reformer on a par with Deng Xiaoping, but headwinds see task cut out for president
The commentary, titled “Xi Jinping the reformer”, said he was behind all the 2,000 “reform measures” rolled out over the past decade. These ranged from poverty elimination, urban-rural development and corruption crackdowns, to support for business and innovation, and a “green revolution” – a phrase referring to China’s rise as a leader in new energy vehicles and other green technology.
“Owing to these reform measures, the Chinese economy has not only sustained robust growth but also more than doubled since 2012, cementing the country’s global status as a major growth contributor,” the article said.
It also compared Xi with paramount leader Deng at length, saying both carried forward the mission to achieve China’s modernisation. However, it also highlighted the differences, saying Xi’s reforms were more than economic and aimed to shape “Chinese people in a new era”, filled with national pride.
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China’s third plenum: what to expect from the much-delayed policy meeting
The comprehensive official narrative on Xi’s credentials as a reformer comes at a time when China is facing headwinds on multiple fronts, including sluggish economic growth, high youth unemployment and geopolitical pressures.
