Written by by Ji Siqi at scmp.com
As China’s economic recovery looks to remain the country’s top political priority in 2024, President Xi Jinping called for rigid discipline in enacting policies, insisting on a “to the letter” approach during a speech to the country’s top economic and financial officials.
Cadres at all levels should fully understand the Communist Party’s decisions and arrangements, Xi said per the official Xinhua news agency, carrying them out “completely, accurately and comprehensively”.
Xi’s comments, seen in a report released in the wake of the two-day conference, offer essential guidance for policymakers – and for observers, clear signs the country’s top leader sees movement has been lacking.
“To put it more bluntly, it shows that [the top leadership] is not satisfied with some of the specific measures and the progress of policy implementation so far,” said Wang Zichen, research fellow at Centre for China and Globalisation.
Officials were also instructed to act “vigorously, resolutely and pragmatically” when implementing the central government’s policies, and to “have the courage” to take on difficult tasks.
“You must have the awareness to act immediately,” he was quoted as saying.