BEIJING: Chinese leader Xi Jinping has called for patience in a speech released as the ruling Communist Party tries to reverse a deepening economic slump and said Western countries are 'increasingly in trouble' because of their materialism and 'spiritual poverty.'

Xi's speech was published by Qiushi, the party's top theoretical journal, hours after data on Tuesday showed consumer and factory activity weakened further in July despite official promises to support struggling entrepreneurs. The government skipped giving an update on a politically sensitive spike in unemployment among young people.