China’s leaders reaffirm loyalty to party under Xi Jinping at top level gathering
- Politburo members conduct ‘criticism and self review’ over two days of meetings to show how they are implementing leader’s policies
- The exercise is likely intended to prepare officials for challenges of the year ahead as trade war pressures continue to loom large, analysts say
China’s top leaders held a series of meetings in Beijing this week to underscore the authority of Communist Party general secretary Xi Jinping and set the national agenda for the year ahead.
The Politburo – the party’s highest echelon – ended two days of meetings on Wednesday at which members discussed how to “strengthen the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow the leadership core, and keep in alignment”, state news agency Xinhua reported.
“[The meeting] also called for thorough implementation of key decisions and policies designed by the Communist Party Central Committee,” it said.
The gathering followed a high-profile celebration on December 18 chaired by Xi to mark the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening up to the outside world, while the leadership also last week convened the Central Economic Work Conference to set the economic agenda for 2019. On Thursday, Xi also presided over a meeting with officials in charge of political and legal affairs.
The Xinhua report said Politburo members conducted “criticism and self review” at the meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday, and shared how they have taken the lead in implementing Xi’s instructions and key party regulations, including an eight-point guide promulgated six years ago that bars officials from indulging in extravagant and wasteful practices.
Analysts said the meetings were intended to prepare party cadres for a challenging year ahead, with the nation’s leaders aware that the trade war with the US, if handled improperly, could have an major impact on China’s economy and reform plans.
