New CPC leadership's first 100 ruling days
0 Comment(s)
Print
E-mail Xinhua, February 22, 2013
Xi vowed a fight against privilege, and "no exceptions" when it comes to Party disciplines and law.
"We must not relax the use of penalties if we want to rule Party members strictly," he said.
Xi also urged the Party to be more tolerant of criticism and receptive to the views of non-communists on Feb. 6 at a gathering convened to extend Lunar New Year's greetings to people from non-communist parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and those without party affiliations.
"The CPC should be able to put up with sharp criticism, correct mistakes if it has committed them and avoid them if it has not," he said.
A two-day central economic work conference held at the end of 2012 offered a first glimpse into the economic policies of the new CPC leaders, who vowed to focus on quality and efficiency of economic growth in 2013.
The conference, which set the tone for economic policymaking this year, also made specific arrangements for realizing economic development goals.
The new CPC leadership have also set themselves as role models of enhancing flesh-blood bonds with the general public.
Xi chose south China's Guangdong Province, which served as the testing ground for reform and opening up policies more than 30 years ago, as the destination of his first inspection tour outside of Beijing after he took office, vowing no stop in reform and opening up.
During his other two inspection tours outside of China's capital, Xi visited impoverished areas in north China's Hebei Province and northwestern Gansu Province.
One of Xi's destinations in Hebei was Luotuowan, a village in Fuping County. Luotuowan, nestled deep in mountains, is classed as "especially impoverished" by the country's standard, with local people's per capita income under 1,000 yuan (160 U.S. dollars) a year.
According to Luotuowan's Party branch secretary, Gu Runjin, Xi "randomly" walked into households in the village during his trip on Dec. 30.
"He's very concerned about people's livelihood," Gu said, recalling Xi's questions to villagers.
During his trip, Xi said that a moderately prosperous China won't come if people in rural areas, especially poverty-stricken regions, can't live a well-off life.
Analysts believe this is a declaration of the CPC leaders' adherence to the path of common prosperity.
From paying visits to AIDS patients, farmers, street cleaners and taxi drivers to soliciting views from non-communist parties, the new leaders' appreciation of first-hand materials and down-to-earth work styles have impressed the public.
"The general secretary reached out to me first to shake hands and asked me if the drugs I took have side effects. He also encouraged me to stick it out," said a person surnamed Yang who is living with HIV/AIDS.
Li Chuncheng, deputy secretary of the Sichuan Provincial Committee of the CPC, and Yi Junqing, director of the Central Compilation and Translation Bureau of the CPC Central Committee -- have been removed from their posts since the new leadership took office.
Spurred on by new leaders' resolve to fight corruption, China's microblog users have used the Internet to out corrupt local cadres.
The recent fall of some officials in the country was caused by online muck-rakers who used China's popular social networking websites to reveal their victims' scandalous behavior, such as starring roles in sex videos.
News reporting has also been refreshed, as Chinese state media have looked to improve their style in pursuit of "short, solid and fresh" news stories, in an attempt to respond to central authority calls to reject bureaucracy and formalism.
The trend has been highlighted by some slight changes in state media's recent reports of top leaders' activities.
The official Xinhua News Agency issued feature stories in December 2012 detailing the top leaders' personal and family situation. Overseas media labelled the move a big stride toward "political transparency."
Media institutions began to initiate live broadcasting of top leaders's inspection tours via their official microblogs. And ordinary people's stories appeared during the prime time evening news slots of China Central Television and on newspaper front pages.
The new leaders also won over many fans online who kept close tabs on each move of their "idols."
Microbloggers have begun to refer to Xi as "Xi Dada," a term that translates as "Uncle Xi" in some parts of China. "Pingping," a dual-syllable nickname often used by intimate friends or relatives, is also used as a moniker for the top leader.
Entries on the "Xuexifensituan" ("Learning from Xi Fan Club") account are often written in a tabloid style, with brief, declarative statements tracing the movements of the general secretary.
Qin Gang, professor at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee, said the new CPC leadership have made "a solid start" in the first 100 days. They have laid out comprehensive plans for realizing the "Chinese dream."
Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)