The article discusses the journey of Li Qiang, former leader of Covid-stricken Shanghai, who has recently been appointed China's No. 2 leader.
The article highlights how the central government's intervention changed Shanghai's spirit of pragmatism and business-friendly character, and how it shifted to 'zero Covid' to align with Xi Jinping's pursuit of eliminating the virus.
Li Qiang was appointed China's No. 2 leader this week, after overseeing Shanghai, which was celebrated for containing Covid-19 with relative restraint.
However, as cases spread, the central government intervened and Shanghai shifted towards a 'zero Covid' policy.
The article emphasises the difference in the approach of Shanghai and central government in containing the virus, which resulted in a lack of consistency and doubts about Shanghai's effectiveness.
The article notes that the central government's intervention resulted in a shift towards 'zero Covid', which required full-scale lockdowns and promoted closing off borders.
In contrast, Shanghai's pragmatism and business-friendly character opted for limited restrictions such as closing a single milk tea shop.
The article quotes an analyst who believes that if Li Qiang had taken a different approach, he 'would have been in hot water with the central government.'
According to the article, Li Qiang's appointment could be seen as a reward for his loyalty to the central government and for implementing its policies thoroughly.
However, the article also suggests that the task of implementing Xi Jinping's policies is challenging and could result in backlash from citizens or other government officials.
The article ends on a note of uncertainty about how far Li Qiang's loyalty will take him amidst China's complex political landscape.