Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping has furnished his reformist credentials by unveiling an ambitious array of key social and economic policy goals, including the relaxation of its one-child policy and the abolition of its controversial labour camps.

But his credibility now hangs on pushing through the range of complex and wide-ranging reforms where his predecessors have failed, and amid long-standing internal resistance for change among senior ranks of the ruling Communist Party.

A young boy holds his country's flag: China is set to relax its one-child policy. Credit:Reuters

In a rare and frank assessment of the challenges facing the Chinese leadership, President Xi said on Friday urgent reform was necessary in the face of “unbalanced growth” in China’s economy.

He said there was an “obvious increase” in societal problems and conflict, rising from a raft of problems including marked wealth disparity, and shortfalls in social security, healthcare, housing, food safety and education.