The Xi manifesto

摘要

Not since Mao Zedong came to power in 1949 has a Chinese leader been so quick to unveil such a wide-ranging blueprint for change. Even Deng Xiaoping, after taking over in 1978, was slow to reveal his hand. President Xi Jinping, in a 22,000-character document released on November 15th, has pledged sweeping reforms. These range from a relaxation of the country's strict one-child policy and the abolition of labour camps to the scrapping of controls over interest rates. But rarely has a leader faced such a challenge to his plans.