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Chinese President Xi Jinping shifts focus to ‘affluent society’ goal, but warns Covid-19 threat remains
- Communist Party chief has been on the road to promote the message that time is ripe to get the economy back up and running, as deadline on first ‘centenary goal’ looms
- Provincial visits have also provided with a platform for Xi to advance a new narrative, reinforce party’s policy agenda
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Chinese President Xi Jinping has been busy touring the country in recent weeks with his message to the people to remain vigilant to the ongoing threat of Covid-19 while encouraging industry and commerce to do all they can to get the nation’s economy back up and running.
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While the purpose of the so-called inspection tours might appear self-evident, some observers say that China’s most powerful leader in decades is also using the personal appearances to promote a new narrative and reinforce the policy agenda of the Chinese Communist Party.
Xi’s most recent trip was to Shanxi province on Monday and Tuesday, during which he urged local party officials to stay alert to the risk of a second wave of coronavirus infections, while working hard to achieve their development goals for the year.
He also encouraged them to speed up the diversification of the local economy to reduce dependence on traditional industries like coal and energy.
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One of the most pressing targets for Xi is achieving the first of two “centenary goals” – to commemorate the 100th anniversaries of the party’s creation in 2021 and founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949 – by becoming a “comprehensive well-off society” by the end of this year.
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