China tightens party loyalty requirements in sensitive year

Chinese public sector managers in education and media must adhere to new rules of party loyalty and "socialist statesmanship" to keep their jobs, the latest move to limit dissent in a sensitive leadership transition year. President Xi Jinping has moved aggressively to consolidate his power since taking office four years ago, and will further stamp his authority on the ruling Communist Party at a once every five years congress later in the year, when important officials will retire and new ones will take their posts. Xi has already moved to deepen the party's tight control over areas like state media and to prevent too much debate about policy, especially as he pushes painful reforms such as cutting 300,000 people from the military.

Continue reading...