One of Chinese Leaders’ Biggest Worries for 2020 Is Pork
- Politburo members visit grocery markets to check pork prices
- Ruling party seeks to slow inflation ahead of holiday feasts
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While many around the world were preparing to usher in 2020 with champagne and fireworks, some of China’s senior-most officials were busy on inspection tours that revealed one of the their biggest worries for the new year: pork.
Two members from the Communist Party’s elite Politburo -- Li Qiang and Li Hongzhong, the party chiefs of Shanghai and Tianjin, respectively -- made New Year’s visits to local grocery markets. That’s after Beijing party secretary Cai Qi -- another Politburo member and a former subordinate of President Xi Jinping -- led a Dec. 24 meeting urging officials in the capital to help ensure sufficient pork supply among other livelihood-related tasks in 2020.