Premier Li Keqiang’s warning of China’s "complicated and grave” employment situation on Saturday was particularly dire, even for someone who has sounded the alarm for months. But it was also notable another reason: It didn’t mention President Xi Jinping’s "COVID zero" strategy.
Just days earlier, the Politburo Standing Committee — on which both Xi and Li sit — warned China’s citizens not to question COVID-control policies that have locked down cities across the country, including Shanghai. That statement, by contrast, contained no mention of the economy.
Besides confusing local officials who must find a way to eliminate COVID-19 and grow the economy, the mixed messages from China’s most powerful leaders raise questions about whether there’s a split at the top over the best way out of the pandemic.