This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/feb/14/lucky-star-chinese-media-overdrive-xi-jinping-new-year-tour
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| 'You are our lucky star': Chinese media in overdrive on Xi Jinping's New Year tour | 'You are our lucky star': Chinese media in overdrive on Xi Jinping's New Year tour |
| (about 10 hours later) | |
| China’s president visits deprived corners of the country, attracting lavish praise from state media | China’s president visits deprived corners of the country, attracting lavish praise from state media |
| Tom Phillips in Beijing | Tom Phillips in Beijing |
| Wed 14 Feb 2018 04.33 GMT | Wed 14 Feb 2018 04.33 GMT |
| Last modified on Wed 14 Feb 2018 22.00 GMT | |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| View more sharing options | View more sharing options |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Close | Close |
| Xi Jinping has flown into one of rural China’s most deprived corners to champion his war on extreme poverty before the country’s week-long Lunar New Year holiday. | Xi Jinping has flown into one of rural China’s most deprived corners to champion his war on extreme poverty before the country’s week-long Lunar New Year holiday. |
| China’s leader toured the adobe shacks of Sanhe and Huopu, two hardscrabble high-altitude farming villages, during a visit to Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in the south-western province of Sichuan. | China’s leader toured the adobe shacks of Sanhe and Huopu, two hardscrabble high-altitude farming villages, during a visit to Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in the south-western province of Sichuan. |
| “No matter how hard it might be … we have to win this battle,” Xi told locals from the Yi minority, according to the Communist party’s official mouthpiece, the People’s Daily. “Not a single family should be left behind.” | “No matter how hard it might be … we have to win this battle,” Xi told locals from the Yi minority, according to the Communist party’s official mouthpiece, the People’s Daily. “Not a single family should be left behind.” |
| The poverty stricken region, about 440km (270 miles) south-west of Sichuan’s capital, Chengdu, made global headlines two years ago after photographs showed children from one mountain community scrambling down a 800m rock face to get to school. | The poverty stricken region, about 440km (270 miles) south-west of Sichuan’s capital, Chengdu, made global headlines two years ago after photographs showed children from one mountain community scrambling down a 800m rock face to get to school. |
| Party leaders traditionally tour China’s poor hinterlands on the eve of the New Year break, which begins on Thursday and will see hundreds of millions of migrant workers flock home as part of what some call the world’s greatest annual human migration. This year, Xi’s “inspection” has taken on extra significance after he made eradicating extreme poverty one of three top priorities for 2018, alongside pollution and economic risks. | Party leaders traditionally tour China’s poor hinterlands on the eve of the New Year break, which begins on Thursday and will see hundreds of millions of migrant workers flock home as part of what some call the world’s greatest annual human migration. This year, Xi’s “inspection” has taken on extra significance after he made eradicating extreme poverty one of three top priorities for 2018, alongside pollution and economic risks. |
| Beijing has vowed to help 30 million people rise above its official poverty line of about 70p (US$1) a day by 2020. Hundreds of millions have escaped poverty since China’s economic opening in the 1980s but, according to a UN report, 5.7% of China’s rural population still lived in poverty at the end of 2015. | Beijing has vowed to help 30 million people rise above its official poverty line of about 70p (US$1) a day by 2020. Hundreds of millions have escaped poverty since China’s economic opening in the 1980s but, according to a UN report, 5.7% of China’s rural population still lived in poverty at the end of 2015. |
| In a recent interview Mark Wang, a University of Melbourne academic, said he believed Xi was personally committed to the poor but suspected the relentless focus was also about politics. “How can you make sure a billion people trust you, and say, ‘This is our strong leader’? If I were him I would do the same thing.” | In a recent interview Mark Wang, a University of Melbourne academic, said he believed Xi was personally committed to the poor but suspected the relentless focus was also about politics. “How can you make sure a billion people trust you, and say, ‘This is our strong leader’? If I were him I would do the same thing.” |
| The political function was unmissable in propaganda reports about Xi’s Sichuan visit, which stressed the charity and supremacy of a ruler who was last year anointed China’s most powerful since Mao. | The political function was unmissable in propaganda reports about Xi’s Sichuan visit, which stressed the charity and supremacy of a ruler who was last year anointed China’s most powerful since Mao. |
| “You are our good leader and the lucky star of the Chinese people,” one elderly villager told Xi according to the official news agency, Xinhua. “Thank you,” Xi replied. “I am a servant of the public.” | “You are our good leader and the lucky star of the Chinese people,” one elderly villager told Xi according to the official news agency, Xinhua. “Thank you,” Xi replied. “I am a servant of the public.” |
| The People’s Daily dedicated its entire front page to Xi’s visit on Wednesday. | The People’s Daily dedicated its entire front page to Xi’s visit on Wednesday. |
| “Villagers used simple words to express their happiness at seeing President Xi,” its correspondent reported. “They spoke of how the Communist party and the government cared for them, and of the great benefits they had enjoyed as a result of the poverty alleviation work. | “Villagers used simple words to express their happiness at seeing President Xi,” its correspondent reported. “They spoke of how the Communist party and the government cared for them, and of the great benefits they had enjoyed as a result of the poverty alleviation work. |
| “Some villagers burst into tears as they spoke. Moved, Xi said: ‘I have always cared for the Yi people. I’m happy to be here and feel comforted to see your lives improving.’” | “Some villagers burst into tears as they spoke. Moved, Xi said: ‘I have always cared for the Yi people. I’m happy to be here and feel comforted to see your lives improving.’” |
| As China’s leader bade farewell, “the sound of singing, applause and cheering echoed through the village”. | As China’s leader bade farewell, “the sound of singing, applause and cheering echoed through the village”. |
| Additional reporting by Wang Xueying | Additional reporting by Wang Xueying |
| China | China |
| Xi Jinping | Xi Jinping |
| Asia Pacific | Asia Pacific |
| news | news |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |