President Xi Jinping opened China’s five-year Communist Party Congress on Sunday with a wide-ranging speech in which he defended Beijing’s zero-Covid approach, applauded its anti-graft efforts and reiterated its ambition to absorb Taiwan by force if necessary.
The speech gave Xi an opportunity to tout his government’s achievements in front of the conclave’s roughly 2,300 delegates, who are expected to give him a historic third term in power later in the week.
Below, AFP provides an overview of the key takeaways from Xi’s opening speech:
– ‘Critical moment’ –
Xi took the stage at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing to thunderous applause and began his speech by hailing the rule of the Communist Party and noting that the gathering came at a crucial time.
“The 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party is a very important congress convened at a critical moment,” Xi said.
– Put “life first” –
After weathering months of criticism over the impact of his country’s strict zero-Covid policy, Xi said China has “put people and their lives first” in dealing with the pandemic.
He said China has “highly protected people’s safety and health and made significant positive results in coordinating epidemic prevention and control, social and economic development.”
– Hong Kong and Taiwan –
China’s increasing assertiveness across the Taiwan Strait, as well as efforts to quell dissent in Hong Kong after pro-democracy protests in 2019, have drawn harsh criticism from Western governments.
But Xi on Sunday hailed the end of what he called “chaos” in Hong Kong while condemning “external forces” meddling in the self-governing Taiwan that China claims as its own.
“The situation in Hong Kong has achieved a great transition from chaos to governance,” he said, further pledging a “great fight against separatism and interference” in Taiwan.
He later added that “the Taiwan issue … must be solved by the Chinese people alone.”
“We will uphold the prospect of peaceful reunification with the utmost sincerity and best efforts, but never commit to abandoning the use of force, reserving the option of taking any necessary measures,” Xi said.
– Anti-Graft Drive –
Xi told delegates that his longstanding crackdown on corruption has put an end to “serious latent dangers” within the Communist Party and the military.
“The fight against corruption has won an overwhelming victory and has been comprehensively consolidated, eliminating serious latent dangers within the party, state and military,” he said, referring to a campaign critics say is being used was made to curb internal dissent.
– climate protection –
The Chinese President also vowed Sunday that Beijing is committed to the global fight against climate change.
China will “actively engage in global governance on climate change,” Xi told delegates, while pledging to “bolster clean and efficient use of coal.”
– “Cold War mentality” –
Xi said Beijing rejects a “Cold War mentality” in international diplomacy but made no mention of ailing ties with the United States.
“China … resolutely opposes all forms of hegemony and power politics, opposes the Cold War mentality, opposes interference in other countries’ domestic politics, opposes double standards,” he said, claiming Beijing “will never seek hegemony and itself.” never get involved in it enlargement”.
