Xi leads by example on modesty lifestyle

Published: December 16,2022

By Staff writer 

On one of his country tours in December 2012, president Xi settled for simple meals that were affordable even to the ordinary people, rather than going for expensive menu that most heads of state prefer to take, given the privileges at their disposal. This week, media reports highlighted that what president Xi ate at a small restaurant, during the tour, has been exhibited at the National Museum of China, which attracted attention of many visitors.   

In 2012, during a country tour, media stories said, that Xi sat down in a small restaurant in the county of Fuping in Hebei Province. “The food order not just revealed Xi’s preference for simple meals, but drove home a key point in a set of rules that were colloquially called the “eight-point decision.”

The eight-point rules were adopted by the ruling party (CPC) as a code of conduct to argue cadres to be frugal in their expenditure and culture of conducting party business. This ranged from leading a modesty life, not to spend much time in meetings, to travel with fewer people in delegations, etc.  Xi by deciding to settle for a simple meal in a modesty restaurant was seen by many as leading by example in avoiding overspending.

In his way of life, president Xi is said to have the ordinary people on his mind and how to improve their standards of living. This is why he advises party leaders at all levels to be spend thrifts in all that they do.  

“His meal choice sent a strong message as Chinese people regard “food as the first necessity” and what the top leader ate rightly reminded all Party members of the Party’s fine tradition of frugality: they must resist any tendency to extravagance — lavish meals included,” reports said. 

In the 1970s, as the Party chief in a poor village in northwest China, Xi said his earnest wish was “to make it possible for the villagers to have meat and have it often.”

Back then, life for villagers was hard — often no meat would grace their tables for months. President Xi wish then seems to be fulfilled as the standard of living of the ordinary people in China has drastically improved and people enjoy all types of meals of their choice without deprivation. “The people’s well-being is the country’s most fundamental interest,” Xi said, and his interest is always to find out if the ordinary people are living a good and fulfilling life. 

A president who leads by example on thrift spending and cares for the lives of the ordinary people is exceptional. Many leaders do not care to know what happens to their lowly citizens. When you talk about people centered leadership, be assured that its is in the DNA of the Communist party of China with its leader president Xi taking the lead.