China’s leaders keep focus on job creation and better living standards as Communist Party looks to bolster position ahead of centenary celebrations
- Premier Li Keqiang closed the annual legislative meeting with promises to create more jobs and improve access to education and health care
- The leadership has declared victory in the battle against extreme poverty but now wants to close the yawning wealth gap to ensure social stability
The Chinese authorities have stressed their commitment to building a fairer and more caring society in a bid to safeguard the Communist Party’s legitimacy before it celebrates its 100th anniversary in July.
He promised to address a number of long-standing social problems, with pledges to create more jobs, boost spending on education and social welfare and make medical reimbursement easier for people living outside their hometowns.
But the economy is facing strong headwinds as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic which ended years of robust growth that helped boost support for the party’s rule but also led to a yawning wealth gap.
Observers said the country’s leadership had now set their eyes on trying to ensure social stability in the face of intensifying rivalry and hostility from the US and other Western countries.
