'Xi leading nation to become prosperous and powerful'
China strategist Andrew Leung on Friday said it was "preordained" for Xi Jinping to stay as the country's president, and that he is leading the nation to become prosperous and powerful. Leung said that to meet that goal, the administration has a handful of tasks at hand such as tackling water scarcity, building more infrastructure to link wealthier cities with less developed areas, as well as achieving common prosperity. "The road is long and hard, and that's why President Xi needs to concentrate power and make sure all the productive forces are channelled together towards this aim, rather than being undermined by internal strife or rivalry," he said. The analyst also said top officials Han Zheng and Zhao Leji, who were elected as the vice-president and the chairperson of the National People's Congress Standing Committee respectively, have great track records. Leung noted Han, who had been responsible for Hong Kong affairs, had facilitated the city's return to order after protests and riots in 2019, while Zhao had served in various provinces alongside President Xi. "I think he is the best man for the job, for the National People's Congress, which is expected to play a more important role, rather than just a rubber stamp. A lot of laws and regulations are going to be passed through the National People's Congress for debate," he said.