Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Friday, March 29th, 2024

China’s Xi Surprises Beijingers with Casual Pre-New Year Visit

China’s Xi Surprises Beijingers  with Casual Pre-New Year Visit

BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping dropped in on surprised diners at a small Beijing restaurant and chatted with deliverymen on Friday on an apparently unscripted visit ahead of next week’s Lunar New Year holiday.
Such relaxed interactions between senior politicians and the public are uncommon in a country where even leaders’ birthdays or family backgrounds are often closely held secrets.
Leaders generally use the time around the festival to make carefully choreographed, well pre-arranged inspection trips around the country where they flag important policy initiatives or areas of concern for the year ahead.
Xi last year visited villagers in a poor southwestern part of China, to press home his campaign against poverty.
On Friday, state television showed Xi walking into the restaurant in a southern district of Beijing known for its traditional alleyways and courtyards, asking how much the food was and how long the owners had been in the city.
As diners stood up to take pictures, Xi told them not to stop eating on his account. “I’m just passing through,” he said.  (Reuters)