Xi’s pledge triggers a top 10 wish list

Xi Jinping met the press for the first time as China’s Party chief on Nov 15.

He said: “Our people have an ardent love for life. They wish to have better education, more stable jobs, more income, greater social security, better medical and healthcare, improved housing conditions and a better environment. They want their children to have sound growth, have good jobs and lead a more enjoyable life. To meet their desire for a happy life is our mission.”

After listening to Xi’s speech, Liu Shengjun, deputy director of the Lujiazui International Finance Research Center of the China Europe International Business School, posted his top 10 wishes for the next 10 years on his micro blog. They are: 1. Eliminating the need to buy milk formula abroad. 2. Safe food to be available in large supermarkets. 3. White-collar workers should not become “slaves” to their mortgages. 4. No worsening of pollution. 5. No widening of the gap between the rich and the poor. 6. A halt to emigration by entrepreneurs. 7. No more increase in the number of officials whose spouses and children emigrate. 8. The stock market to become a place where value is created, rather than a money-collecting machine. 9. Nobody in a position of power should have privileges to help their children, and everyone should have equal opportunities. 10. A huge improvement to be made in restraining public power.

The post was forwarded more than 100,000 times. Liu later wrote a commentary for the Financial Times’ Chinese website, saying that to realize the Chinese Dream advocated by Xi, the government must return to the ultimate goal of economic growth.

Zhou Tianyong, deputy director of the International Strategic Research Institute of the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC, said the Chinese Dream comprises the dreams of the Chinese nation as well as families and individuals. The key to realizing the Chinese Dream is to put more wealth into the hands of the people, and improve their living standards.

Zhou said the government should provide an “institutional guarantee” for everyone to have equality when entering society, and for grassroots people to move up the social ladder.

Cai Xia, a professor at the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC, said that by talking about the Chinese Dream, the new leaders have announced their political ambitions and determination to the public, showing that the Party hopes to unite with the Chinese people and shoulder the historic task of revitalizing the country.

Xi also said, “Empty talk will lead the country astray, and hard work can rejuvenate the country.”

Li Zuojun, deputy director of the Resource and Environmental Policy Research Institute at the Development Research Center of the State Council, said these words are aimed at carrying forward comprehensive reform and the nation’s transformation.

Li added that economic development will bring increasing benefits to all parties concerned, making it easy for them to reach an agreement and combine their forces. However, reform will not necessarily benefit everyone. On the contrary, it will often lead to the interests of some people being damaged, and face strong resistance from them.