Xi Jinping cracks whip against pompous display of power

Cracking the whip against pompous display of power, China's new leader Xi Jinping has directed Communist Party officials to slash red tape, cut down on unnecessary meetings and improve connectivity with the people.

The new leadership asked officials to slash red tape, including unnecessary visits, meetings and pointless discussions, in a bid to better connect with the general public and stamp out pomp, official media here reported today.

Xi, who took over as the General Secretary of the Party last month, has consistently stressed the importance of more work and less talk, state-run China Daily reported. All members of the 360-member Central Committee were urged to understand the real situation facing the society, according to a resolution passed at their meeting yesterday. The Politburo said greater attention should be focused on places where social problems are more acute, and inspection tours must be carried out more thoroughly, it said.

The resolution also said senior leaders should work and listen to the public and officials at the grassroots and people's practical problems must be tackled.

The new directive required senior party officials to end any possible displays of ostentation, including slashing spending on visits and cutting unnecessary etiquette.

The number of meetings should also be reduced as should traffic disruption to the general public when officials travelled by road. It also prohibits pointless media reporting and upholds the principle of diligence and frugality.

The measures target senior party members, it also sends a strong message to society, state-run China Daily quoted analysts as saying. Zhu Lijia, professor at the Chinese Academy of governance, said the measures reflect Xi's consistent principles on the Party's working style.

In 2010, Xi told the CPC Central Committee Party School that there was a great deal of room for improvement in many speeches by officials, as they contained too much jargon. He said his stance in his first speech as the general- secretary of the CPC Central Committee on November 15 during which he asked the bureaucracy to end pomp. The meeting, presided over by Xi, also discussed economic policy.

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