China on LOCKDOWN: Beijing brought to a halt ahead of crucial summit to cement Xi’s power
CHINA is on ‘lockdown’ as President Xi Jinping prepares to extend his term at the Communist Party Congress.
By REBECCA PINNINGTON
Express.co.uk
Fri, Oct 6, 2017
The quintannual summit is expected to result in a consolidation of power for the Chinese premier, who has served as leader since 2012.
The Congress is expected to introduce pivotal leadership reforms that will allow President Xi to extend his term. He is already the most powerful Chinese leader in decades.
Meanwhile, politics has come to a standstill ahead of the crucial meeting of China’s ruling party, which is consumed by its focus on the upcoming summit.
Freya Beamish, Pantheon Macroeconomics’ chief Asia economist, said: “Commentators and markets rightly assume that the authorities are consumed by this transition and that all other policy matters are on the back-burner or in lockdown until after the Congress.”
As well as political lockdown, China is also on security lockdown.
Police are travelling to Beijing from other parts of the country ahead of the politically sensitive event.
China’s internet censors has also raised the pressure on social media sites in recent months in a bid to minimise bad news.
They handed down maximum fines to three social media sites for failing to deal with pornography, violence and other banned content – seen as a show of strength ahead of the pivotal political Congress.
Besides consolidating President Xi’s leadership, the Congress is set to discuss whether economic reforms are working, and if China needs a new direction.
Enormous growth over the last three decades has led to enormous economic growth in China, which has made it a major player on the world stage.
However, the Congress will also involve plans to tackle fallout from this economic success.
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