Chinese leader slips into 'folk's shoes'

XI'AN - Seated on a heated brick bed, senior Chinese leader Liu Yunshan put on a pair of homemade black cloth shoes, a gift from the owner of the traditional cave dwelling in northwest China.

"This pair fits me well, and I'd like to wear them when I go back to Beijing," Liu said. "As long as I put myself in a folk's shoes, I can think in his terms."

Liu, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, carried out an inspection tour to northwest China's Shaanxi Province from January 11 to 14. During the trip, he visited local villages, enterprises and communities.

In Shaanxi's Jingbian County, Liu Yunshan chatted with Liu Yuchang's family at their traditional home on Sunday. The CPC official asked about their lives and income, and listened to their feedback on the work of local officials.

Liu started his trip at a land reclamation project in north Shaanxi's Yanchuan County.

During his inspection tour, the CPC leader stayed in common guesthouses. He traveled at night, covering 900 kilometers in three and a half days without any motorcade to clear the way.