Xi hints at continuation at Chinese Communist Party Congress

Addressing the opening ceremony of the party’s biannual congress on Sunday, President Xi Jinping praised the achievements of the past five years and said the party would strive to achieve its goals. “Rebirth” of the nation.

“Our future is bright, but there is still a long way to go,” Xi told a delegation of more than 2,000 at the opening ceremony held in the gigantic Great Hall of the People overlooking central Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. .

“We need to nurture the sense of purpose, fortitude and confidence of the entire Party and the Chinese people so that they are not deceived by falsehoods, deceived by intimidation or succumbed to pressure,” he said.

Xi’s third term in office will break recent precedent and establish him as arguably the most powerful Chinese politician since Mao Zedong.

“Reunification must definitely be achieved and reunification will definitely be achieved,” he said.

Taiwan and China were torn apart in a civil war in 1949, and communists came to power in China. Many Taiwanese reject the term “reunification”, saying they are not part of communist China.

While Xi is expected to stay, little is expected to change in China’s economic and foreign policy, as well as his intolerance of criticism and hardline approach to COVID-19, including quarantines and travel bans. increase.

Xi defended his response to the pandemic, saying he “puts people and their lives above all else”.

The week-long parliament, the 20th in the 100-year-old party’s history, sees the economy hit by a sharp slowdown in real estate, the war in Ukraine and COVID-19 restrictions on tourism, retail and manufacturing. It takes place at a time when the United States is facing major headwinds from the economic blow to the United States. .

As with most Chinese political events, little information has been released in advance, and results will only be announced next weekend after several days of closed-door sessions.

Congress is likely to approve amendments to the charter that could further enhance Xi’s status as leader.

Sun Yeli, a parliamentary spokesperson, offered few details at a press conference on Saturday.

He said the changes “will facilitate the development of the party and meet the new requirements for working in the face of new situations and new tasks.”

During the last Congress in 2017, Xi Jinping’s ideology, known as Xi Jinping Thought, was incorporated into the Party Constitution.

Although the ideology is vague, it emphasizes reviving the party’s mission as China’s political, economic, social and cultural leader and its central role in achieving national rejuvenation.

After a decade of leadership, Xi has already wielded considerable power, with responsibility for domestic affairs, foreign policy, military, economic and most other important matters through the party working groups he leads.

Under his leadership, the country has expanded its global footprint while strengthening its already tight controls over information and dissent.

A rare mass protest last week in Beijing that featured banners attacking President Xi Jinping and his COVID-19 policies was quickly removed from the internet, quelling any discussion about it.

Xi has credited China’s policies toward Taiwan and semi-autonomous Hong Kong, which have been heavily criticized by the United States and other democracies.

He said measures taken after mass protests in Hong Kong in 2019 ensured order was restored and ruled by patriots. and imposed national security laws on the city that almost eliminated any claims to democracy.