Xi in a Bind Over Who to Blame for Shanghai’s Covid Outbreak
- Financial hub led by Li Qiang, a former top aide to president
- Rising star has so far escaped punishment for virus crisis
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Who pays the price for China’s current Covid crisis will show the strength of President Xi Jinping’s grip over the Communist Party heading into a crucial leadership reshuffle.
While Xi last month renewed his threat to punish any cadres who fail in their virus-fighting duties, only 15 low-ranking officials have been disciplined over the weeks-long lockdown in Shanghai. And any criticism of the financial hub’s performance risks blowing back on Xi, since it’s run by one of his closest associates on the decision-making Politburo, Li Qiang.