Xi 's failed promises dim hopes for change in 2nd term

Xi's defenders argue that he had to consolidate his authority before he could take tough decisions

For years, China’s president, Xi Jinping, has talked the talk of economic reform. In January, he dazzled business executives in Davos, Switzerland, with a defense of international trade. Last month, he urged officials to “seize hold of reform and make it an even bigger priority”. And the annual meeting of China’s legislature, starting Sunday, appears sure to echo that theme.

But as Xi nears the end of his first five-year term as Communist Party leader, his record has not lived up to the bold statements, critics say.

The question now is whether he was ever really serious about taking the painful steps