Xi's candid speech welcomed online

Newly annointed Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping received guarded praise online from China’s citizens for a public address given on Thursday, The Wall Street Journal reported. During his public address on Thursday, Xi used a down-to-earth tone and addressed other members of the party’s Politburo Standing Committee as “colleagues,” a departure from previous speeches given by incoming officials. His speech covered pressing public concerns, including the increasing wealth gap, the environment and health care. Reaction to the speech online was mixed. “Talking like a human is an important change,” commented tech executive Xiao Qingping on a microblog. “The choices have been made, now stop blabbering. First unlock the internet!” wrote another microblogger. Xi, the first party chief to be appointed during the social-media era, is expected to replace Hu Jintao as the president in March.