On July 15, five of China’s most prominent private-sector entrepreneurs sat shoulder to shoulder at a press conference in Beijing hosted by the State Council, the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) ruling body. Above their heads, a banner enjoined them to “carry forward the entrepreneurial spirit” and to serve as “excellent builders of socialism with Chinese characteristics.”

One after another, they spoke of innovation, social responsibility, and their gratitude to the state. Their remarks were punctuated by phrases like “broad prospects,” “great potential,” and “just the right time”—rhetorical markers closely associated with Xi-era political discourse. Our analysis of China’s official government portal found that the phrase “just the right time” has appeared in policy commentary consistently since 2014, while “great potential”—a particularly Xi-inflected phrase—has surfaced 76 times out of 79 total uses since President Xi Jinping came into office.

On July 15, five of China’s most prominent private-sector entrepreneurs sat shoulder to shoulder at a press conference in Beijing hosted by the State Council, the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) ruling body. Above their heads, a banner enjoined them to “carry forward the entrepreneurial spirit” and to serve as “excellent builders of socialism with Chinese characteristics.”

One after another, they spoke of innovation, social responsibility, and their gratitude to the state. Their remarks were punctuated by phrases like “broad prospects,” “great potential,” and “just the right time”—rhetorical markers closely associated with Xi-era political discourse. Our analysis of China’s official government portal found that the phrase “just the right time” has appeared in policy commentary consistently since 2014, while “great potential”—a particularly Xi-inflected phrase—has surfaced 76 times out of 79 total uses since President Xi Jinping came into office.

In a February speech, Xi combined all three to describe the future of private enterprise. Far from boilerplate, this language served as a cue of ideological alignment, reminding the audience that the event was not only about showcasing business success but also about demonstrating political correctness.

The rhetoric from all five entrepreneurs was strikingly consistent. Each spoke of duty, service, and gratitude as a civic obligation under CCP leadership. They were stewards of the state’s economic and political aspirations.

The choices of these five, and the narratives they delivered, revealed much more than an effort to reassure a wary private sector. The event offered a quiet lesson in the........

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