Since Xi Jinping took over the role of general secretary of the Chinese Communist party in November 2012 there has been a tightening of social, political andeconomic controls, alongside a renewed emphasis on propaganda and ideological work.
Yet Mr Xi’s “new normal”, if successful, could potentially enable a further adjustment of political power in China.
He set the new direction in an internal speech in December 2012 when he used the example of the break-up of the Soviet Union, which he said was caused by a crisis in belief — the people had lost faith in the Communist party. Mr Xi was later reported as saying that “beliefs and faith” are the “calcium” CCP members need and without them they will “develop rickets”.