Why did China’s police chief make a rare foray into economic policy?

The comments by Public Security Minister Wang Xiaohong may be a sign that officials are struggling to hit this year’s economic growth targets

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Reports emphasised Wang Xiaohong’s party status rather than his role as public security chief. Photo: AFP

Published: 5:36pm, 17 Oct 2024Updated: 6:30pm, 17 Oct 2024

China’s top police officer has made a rare comment on economic matters with a call for better risk management and stability.

The state media reports of Wang Xiaohong’s comments highlighted that he was speaking in his capacity as a senior member of the Communist Party and as a state councillor, rather than as public security minister, showing the importance the leadership places on meeting this year’s economic targets in the face of a faltering economy.

The emphasis on economic growth by a senior official in charge of other areas may indicate that meeting this year’s 5 per cent growth target is becoming increasingly challenging.

Wang’s comments echo recent calls by President Xi Jinping for “full efforts” to this quarter’s economic targets.

Beijing hopes the economy will achieve 5 per cent growth in gross domestic product this year. But with China only achieving 4.7 per cent in the second quarter, the third quarter economic data, to be released on Friday, will be crucial to achieving the goal.

Speaking during a trip to the northern port city of Tianjin, Wang and told officials: “Do a good job in preventing risk, ensuring security and maintaining stability, and achieve a virtuous interaction between high-quality development and a high level of safety.”

Official reports mentioned Wang’s role as state councillor and a member of the General Secretariat of the Communist Party’s Central Committee, highlighting his status within the government and the party, without referring to his title as the police chief.