In their response to wobbly markets, China’s leaders reveal their fears
THERE should be something comforting, during uncertain times, in the sight of the boss solidly seated behind his desk, working away at the business of the day. And that was the image China’s official state media presented when broadcasting Xi Jinping’s annual new-year message to the Chinese people on December 31st—though it has to be said, if that impressive expanse of wood really is the presidential desk, Mr Xi must find it hard to reach his impressively red but implausibly far-off telephones.[Source]