Xi Jinping must make government credible, then reform it

New Communist Party leader Xi Jinping faces mounting calls to overhaul the nation's economic and political systems - and public expectations are high.

But Xi's first challenge would be to restore the government's credibility, analysts say.

Xi's debut speech as party leader at the Great Hall of the People last week fuelled hopes that the next decade will see serious reform and a crackdown on corruption.

But many people question just how much the new administration can do when it comes to pushing through the difficult reforms that their predecessors failed to make.

"It's easier said than done," say those on Chinese social media as they caution about the likely outcome.

The people's doubt leaves Xi with a tough mission to convince them he is not just talking big.

"Verbal commitment to reforms no longer has the kind of impact it had in the past," said Barry Naughton, a veteran China researcher at the University of California, San Diego.