Xi Jinping, the emerging dark-horse candidate to head China's next generation of leaders, has received lavish praise from the state media for the second time in a week.

With about two weeks to go before the 17th Communist Party Congress, the Shanghai party secretary was once again singled out for praise by Xinhua in its lengthy report titled 'Harmonious Shanghai welcomes the Party Congress'. Mr Xi took over the Shanghai post from disgraced Chen Liangyu in March.

On September 22, People's Daily ran a lengthy commentary praising Shanghai's new leadership.