A year on, China's Xi and Li prove themselves as doers

Soon, Xi Jinping and the rest of the Politburo Standing Committee will have occupied China's top leadership positions for one year. This anniversary marks an opportune time to appraise the performances of Xi and Premier Li Keqiang.

From the outset, the new leadership duo hit the ground running. Compared to their predecessors Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao, who took the reins in late 2002, Xi and Li have found it easier to exert their authority.

First, the transition of power was far more complete and clear cut than 10 years before. This allowed the new leaders to take a series of actions that demonstrated their commitment to delivering results.

On the economic front, Li has been far more decisive than Wen in his first year. He has set the direction of the policy changes that are to follow in the next few years. The signals from both Li and Xi have been unmistakably reformist, including the setting up of a free trade zone in Shanghai, efforts to clean up China's chaotic credit market, and the rescinding of a series of government approval requirements.

A few months into Hu and Wen's tenure, the severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic broke out. The two leaders were thrust into responding to one of the biggest public health crises in recent years. There have been crises early in the Xi-Li leadership too: bird flu, dead pigs clogging up Shanghai's rivers and an earthquake in Sichuan .

Although serious incidents, they were small compared with Sars. In that sense, Xi and Li have enjoyed more luck than their predecessors. However, they have also handled their own setbacks efficiently, contributing to their quick consolidation of power.