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Journalism of Courage
Chinas new leaders struck a populist tone Sunday as they got down to the painstaking work of governing,promising cleaner government,less red tape and more fairness to enlarge a still small middle class and help struggling private businesses.
In appearances that mark the completion of a months-long,orchestrated leadership transition,President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang stressed the urgency of reining in runaway official corruption to restore the Communist Partys frayed public credibility.
Earlier,in addressing the nearly 3,000 legislative deputies in the Great Hall of the People,Xi promised to root out corruption and other misconduct in all manifestations. He said peoples own aspirations must be part of the Chinese dream a signature phrase he has used to invoke national greatness. Each of us must have broad space to diligently realise our own dreams, he said.
The government should be the guardian of social fairness. We need to work hard to create equal opportunities for everyone,so that peoples hard work will be duly rewarded, Li said.
Though Xi and Li were installed as Nos. 1 and 2 in the party leadership in November,Sundays closing of the legislature means their government is now fully in place.
In talking tough about corruption,Li did not mention calls from experts to introduce public disclosure of official assets nor media reports about the huge wealth amassed by the family members of many in the communist elite.
Li said that a government restructuring approved by the legislature is intended to streamline decision-making and limit interference in peoples lives. He promised to reduce by at least a third the 1,700 approvals required by the State Council,or Cabinet,for financing of projects and other work.
