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Cary Huang
SCMP Columnist
What the Mainland Media Say
by Cary Huang
What the Mainland Media Say
by Cary Huang

Premier Li Keqiang shows he gets the web, but not necessarily what it takes to end officials' abuses

Premier's savvy use of web terms in top report wins hearts, but suggests leaders will only go so far to rein in 'renxing' officials

Official documents in China are normally full of formalistic jargon. So when Premier Li Keqiang used an internet buzzword - - in his keynote policy speech, state media were quick to laud his people-friendly approach to political discourse.

As he spoke of the government's achievements and plans at the annual session of the National People's Congress, the national legislature, Li said that "it goes without saying that powers should not do just whatever you want them to".

Li chose to use the word because the original Chinese, which has recently gone viral online, also refers a person who carelessly squanders money and power.

Li's comment was met with laughter and applause from the 3,000 or so deputies in the Great Hall of the People, where such language is rarely found in official documents.

Earlier, Lu Xinhua , spokesman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the top political advisory body, also used to describe the fight against corruption. "Li and Lu's use of can be taken as a sign that unruly officials will not be tolerated and the public are integral to the anti-corruption campaign," Xinhua said in a commentary.

linked Li's use of the word with his announcement of introducing what he called the "Internet Plus" strategy, whereby the mobile internet, cloud computing, big data and the "internet of things" where people and other physical objects exchange data to boost efficiency. "The industry should feel happy when Li quotes a web buzzword and brings new plans to the internet sector," the English-language edition of the official Party newspaper said in a signed article. "A fresh round of vibrant development is right around the corner."

Surely Li was not simply trying to wake up the many drowsy delegates who had been banned from checking social media or playing games on mobile phones while the premier spent about two hours reading his 34-page speech.

Apparently, Li wants to defuse the growing distrust and hatred of corrupt officials and avaricious businessmen who collude to snatch public assets. .

A dangerous, widening gulf exists between disgruntled and disadvantaged people, and those who flaunt their vast wealth through conspicuous luxury consumption.

That is why President Xi Jinping and Li, since coming to office two years ago, have focused on the anti-graft campaign and clamping down on officials' extravagance . Li is apparently pushing to use language that is familiar to the greater public.

It also shows that leaders are more sophisticated about targeting China's 640 million internet users.

The leaders understand that younger people increasingly get their news from items shared on social media such as Sina Weibo and WeChat, rather than state-run newspapers and prime-time television news.

However, the administration of Xi and Li has also overseen the toughest crackdown on online political dissent, boosted censorship, blocked overseas websites and placed limits on freedom of expression online.

Commenting on Li's use of , called for reform to introduce greater transparency and public scrutiny of officials.

But Li's simple warning offered no solution to this increasing problem.

The crux of the matter is simple: if officials are given unregulated power, they will naturally try to abuse it.

Political science stresses that only governments with clear divisions between power and the oversight of parliamentary democracy can restrain officials from misusing their power. A free and independent press also plays a crucial role.

Li's lengthy policy statement, however, gave no clue that the party would embrace such institutional reform to keep officials in check

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Li Keqiang has right homely tone, but not the substance
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