Xi’s paranoid press shutdown is about controlling the narrative

News Snapshot:

One of the most noteworthy developments at the recently convened Chinese National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference is the decision to scrap the premier’s post-parliament news conference, which was widely followed. Many observers interpret this move as an attempt by Chinese leader Xi Jinping to weaken Premier Li Qiang’s authority. However, after carefully examining the replacement press conference featuring multiple Chinese economic bureaucrats, I have arrived at a different conclusion. To explain why the premiere’s press conference was concealed this year, we need to delve into the journey of the prime minister’s press conference during the...