Xi Jinping sends corruption warning on trip to China’s northwest
- Chinese president tours area of luxury villa scandal two years ago, delivering message on political loyalty, observer says
- Urges officials to press on to meet poverty alleviation targets despite coronavirus-induced downturn
The trip was widely reported on Thursday by state media, which highlighted the president’s visits to a national reserve in the Qinling Mountains, rural families who have benefited from the government’s anti-poverty programmes and factories and firms ramping up production after the coronavirus shutdown. Xi was also shown taking a night walk through a busy tourist and commercial district in the provincial capital of Xian.
It was also just one week before a meeting of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, China’s top legislative body, when the deputies are expected to review a number of bills, including a biosecurity law, and the country’s economic outlook.
The coronavirus epidemic has forced the top leadership to postpone the annual NPC meeting; the Standing Committee meeting next week is expected to shed light on when the gathering will be held.