Mind your behaviour! Xi tells wealthy businessmen to ‘set a good example’ amid criticism of China’s nouveau riche
PUBLISHED : Wednesday, 09 March, 2016, 11:41pm
UPDATED : Wednesday, 09 March, 2016, 11:41pm
Cary Huang
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China’s President Xi Jinping attends the National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Photo: Reuters
President Xi Jinping has told the mainland’s wealthy businessmen to toe the party line and set a good example to the public, warning them to be mindful of their behaviour and words.
“Many of you are successful entrepreneurs and public figures,” Xi said. “You should treasure and maintain your public image as your behaviour and your words have a strong impact on society, as an example to *others.”
Xi was speaking at a panel discussion with delegates from the China Democratic National Construction Association and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce.
Both represent the private business sector at the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, the Communist Party’s top advisory body, which is meeting in Beijing until next week.
Xi said wealthy businessmen should maintain political loyalty to the party and follow the socialist path. He asked them to “actively exercise core values of socialism” and to show “their love to the motherland, the people and the party”.
Xi’s comments, delivered on Friday and published by Xinhua on Tuesday, follow increasing controversy over the behaviour of China’s nouveau riche, or tuhao, many of whom have been criticised for unruly behaviour and flaunting their lifestyles.
Xi said he wanted billionaires to engage in charitable activities, to help the government’s poverty alleviation campaign, and to exercise their social responsibility.
Xi also wanted private entrepreneurs to abide by the law and to be honest in their business dealings.
He called for a “new type” of relationship between government officials and private businessmen as he warned against them colluding in power-for-money deals.
The president’s anti-corruption campaign has unearthed many cases of bribery and corruption involving collusion between party officials and businesspeople since he came to power more than three years ago.
Xi pledged to grant wider market access to the country’s private sector as he promised “to unswervingly encourage, support and guide the development of the private sector”.
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However, he also said the public sector was the mainstay of, and had the leading role in, the national economy.
The remarks come amid debate on reforming state-owned enterprises.
Xi has rejected calls by economists to privatise SOEs, despite having promised a level playing field for all and having called for liberal supply-side reforms.
The private sector has played a crucial role in creating employment – something that is crucial to the party’s ability to maintain social stability. The sector has created more than 62 million jobs in the past two years.
