China looks to consumers to drive economic rebound
Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s agenda for this month’s meeting of the ceremonial national legislature: Revive the economy by encouraging consumers to spend more now that severe anti-virus controls have ended
BEIJING (AP) — Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s agenda for the annual meeting of the ceremonial legislature: Revive the economy by encouraging consumers to spend more now that severe anti-virus controls have ended, and install a government of loyalists to intensify Communist Party control over the economy and society.
Xi, C hina's most powerful figure in decades, has no formal role in the National People’s Congress, which will convene a meeting of its full membership on Sunday. But he looms over every event: the 69-year-old awarded himself a third five-year term as party general secretary in October, possibly making himself leader for life.
The two-week gathering of 2,977 NPC members is the year’s highest-profile political event, but its lawmaking work is limited to endorsing ruling party decisions. Its more important function is to provide a platform to publicize government plans and give members instructions to take home to cities and provinces.
Xi and other leaders say their priority is to reassure consumers and entrepreneurs it’s time to spend and invest after restrictions that kept millions of people at home, temporarily shut down Shanghai and other industrial centers and wiped out jobs were lifted in December.
