Xi Jinping has the biggest and most ubiquitous picture on the front pages of China’s newspapers today, signifying that he is now in charge, unlike yesterday when Hu Jintao’s picture was still all over the front pages. With the new seven-member Politburo Standing Committee meeting the media yesterday, there’s only one headline worth having in China today: Xi Jinping becomes CPC Central Committee General-secretary and Central Military Committee chairperson. A few newspapers even deigned to describe Xi Jinping’s elevation as a near-messianic event. The City Evening News (城市晚报) from Jilin province, for example, put large pictures of Xi and the other six members of the new Standing Committee on its front page next to a headline reading “New start, new expectations, new era” (新起点 新期盼 新时代). Yet while many newspapers hailed a new era, various others opted to place a picture of Hu Jintao shaking hands with Xi Jinping on their front pages, signifying the peaceful and stable passing of the mantle.
Amazingly, a very small number of newspapers even neglected to report the story on their front pages at all.
Gallery one: Xi Jinping – The man of the hour:
Gallery two: From one great man to another – Stability reigns:
Amazingly, there were at least two newspapers today that completely sidestepped the main story of the day, for whatever reason. The Spring City Evening News (春城晚报) from Yunnan province instead used the main headline “We help you make a relaxed visit to the food market,” while the Nanchang Evening News(南昌晚报) from Jiangxi province for its part went with a headline announcing a rise in the price of gas.
Gallery three: More important things to discuss:
Gallery four: From the horse’s mouth – The People’s Daily
- The People’s Daily celebrates the new team
Links and sources
City Evening News (城市晚报): 新起点 新期盼 新时代