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Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, and Premier Li Keqiang have been rivals since they both were candidates for the top job years ago.(Nikkei Montage/Reuters/Kyodo)
China up close

China's street-stall debate puts Xi and Li at odds

Premier's attempt to revive vendors is immediately shot down by president's henchmen

KATSUJI NAKAZAWA, Nikkei senior staff writer | China

TOKYO -- Two of China's richest men sold items on the street earlier in their careers.

Ren Zhengfei sold diet pills and fire extinguishers on the street before going on to start China's biggest telecoms equipment maker, Huawei Technologies. Jack Ma Yun sold small goods in Zhejiang before eventually founding e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding.

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