Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping will be elected president of China, and Mr. Li Keqiang will be named premier, during the National People's Congress session that kicked off Tuesday. The NPC session continues through March 17.
The new Chinese leadership should tackle social problems in earnest — such as the yawning income gap between the rich and poor, corruption and environmental disruption — left over from the leadership of the Hu Jintao presidency. It also should pursue a policy of peaceful coexistence with its neighbors, instead of an aggressive hard-line policy.
While in office, outgoing Premier Wen Jiabao stressed the need for political reform. But such reform did not materialize. Corruption has worsened and people's dissatisfaction has increased. In his report to the congress, Mr. Wen stressed the need to ensure that people enjoy a wide range of rights and freedoms on the basis of the law. Apparently aware of resistance from party conservatives, he avoided phrases like "reform of the political system" and "human rights."