When Xi Jinping became China’s top leader in November, ordinary Chinese responded with an unusual surge of optimism and hope. After what many intellectuals considered a “lost decade” under Xi’s predecessor Hu Jintao, they expressed high expectations that Xi will implement not only economic reform but also a degree of political liberalization. But now, in a rare show of dissent, journalists at a relatively outspoken newspaper in southern China have protested against official censorship—presenting Xi with what many see as a test of his tolerance for grassroots calls for change.
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