Xi Jinping might be strong reformer China needs - to surprise of the West

As soon as Xi Jinping and the six other top Communist Party officials walked into the media limelight at noon on Thursday, many overseas analysts and media organisations immediately labeled China's new leadership line-up as being "conservative" and dominated by the "old guard".

They expressed concerns that, with such a line-up, Xi could find himself hamstrung in his efforts to carry out political and economic reform that is needed to put the country on a path to more sustainable growth.

Their concerns appeared to stem partly from the observation that former president Jiang Zemin again managed to outmanoeuvre President Hu Jintao in filling seats on the Politburo Standing Committee with his protégés and allies - accounting for five of the seven members.