Moment of truth: Xi leads war against COVID-19

Big test on rejuvenation journey

Xi said the national rejuvenation, or the Chinese Dream, could not be realized without major struggles.

The epidemic, observers said, serves as a good reminder of that statement. The size of the wild animal consumption business was large. The reserves of essential medical supplies were in serious shortage. There was no bio-security law. Bureaucratism at the grassroots level obstructed the epidemic response.

Xi said the epidemic was a big test for China's system and capacity for governance and called for learning the lessons and targeting the weak links and shortcomings exposed in the epidemic to improve the national emergency management system and the ability to handle urgent and difficult tasks.

Since early February, Xi has begun giving instructions on stabilizing the economy.

The Chinese economy, which grew by 6.1 percent in 2019, is expected to take a hit in the short run. But the impact is manageable. Factories, including suppliers to foreign companies like Apple, Tesla and FAW-Volkswagen Automobile, have resumed operations.

International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said she expects China's economy to "return to normal" in the second quarter of 2020.

The year is key for China as the country plans to eliminate extreme poverty. Last week, Xi convened a teleconference on poverty relief and ordered cadres to overcome the epidemic impact to clinch a complete victory in the anti-poverty fight.

After achieving a moderately prosperous society in all respects, China will aim for basically realizing socialist modernization by 2035 and becoming a great modern socialist country by the middle of the 21st century.

"Time and history wait for no one," Xi said at a Chinese Lunar New Year reception on Jan 23, the same day Wuhan was locked down. "We must maintain strategic direction and resolve, stay united, work hard and forge ahead against all odds."