On 16th October 2022, Chinese President Xi Jinping addressed the 20th Communist Party’s five-yearly congress meeting with a detailed speech outlining the ruling party’s accomplishments in recent years and its long-term plans.
The party congress is the most significant political event in the country. It takes place once every five years, and its major objective is to choose the nation’s future leaders.
China’s influence, appeal, and power to influence the world have all dramatically increased, according to the president, whose 10-year leadership has seen the country emerge as a global superpower.
“Our future is bright, but we still have a long way to go,” Xi said to the more than 2,000 Chinese delegates attending the opening at Beijing’s Great Hall of the people.
As anticipated, it appears likely that the Chinese president will fulfill his manifesto given his power, authority, and apparent popularity.
Following below are the Key Takeaways covered in Mr. Xi’s speech:
- Zero-Covid Policy: China’s COVID control policies have resulted in travel restrictions, mass testing, quarantine, and strict lockdowns of entire cities in the region since the beginning of the pandemic.
The number of covid related cases in China has been kept under control and President Xi has consistently backed the “dynamic zero COVID” policy, which has garnered international praise as well.
President Xi stated that there would be no wavering on zero-Covid because of the need to prioritise saving people’s lives.
“In launching an all-out people’s war to stop the spread of the virus, we have protected the people’s health and safety to the greatest extent possible and made tremendously encouraging achievements in both epidemic response and economic and social development,” he further added.
- Push for Economic Development: China’s economic growth had slowed down and resulted in weak domestic growth after taking a hit due to Covid lockdowns.
President Xi emphasized that development is the party’s top priority in governing and the country will focus on high-quality development and expand domestic demand to advance the Chinese economy. He also stated that to lessen China’s vast inequality gap, there will be strict control on wealth accumulation and income distribution. Xi further pledged research and investment in important technology fields to “achieve greater self-reliance.”
- One-China Policy with Taiwan as part of China: PresidentXi reiterated the political stance on Taiwan, asserting that China has fought fiercely against Taiwan separatism and foreign interference on the self-ruled island. “Resolving the Taiwan issue is a matter for the Chinese people themselves, to be decided by the Chinese people,” the President said.
He stated that in order to resolve the Taiwan issue, “We will never renounce the right to use force, and will take all necessary measures to put an end to any separatist movements.”
The party, he continued, would however always “respect, care for, and fight to serve compatriots in Taiwan”.
- Reiteration of China’s foreign policy principles: China, which has recently grown to be a significant trade partner on the world stage, will not indulge in “expansionism,” according to President Xi, and will stick to its broad policy of economic transparency to the rest of the world.
Regarding defence matters, the Chinese leader stated that the party aims to “create a strong military in the new era” to achieve a strategic deterrent capability. He promised to provide the People’s Liberation Army with a new organisational structure with more specialized equipment, technology, and tactical abilities.
While he didn’t mention China’s strained relations with the US, he stated that Beijing “would never seek hegemony and will never engage in expansion,” adding that China “resolutely opposes all forms of hegemony and power politics, rejects the Cold War mentality and opposes meddling in other countries’ domestic matters, opposes double standards.”
