At the conclusion of the twice-every-ten-year Communist Party meeting in China, Chairman Xi Jinping is anticipated to be given a third five-year term, defying history and making him possibly the most powerful Chinese politician since Mao Zedong.
At the inauguration, Xi gave a lengthy report in which he lauded the accomplishments of the previous five years and declared that the party will work to achieve its modernization goals in order to bring about what it refers to as the “rejuvenation” of the country.
Xi addressed the more than 2000 delegates present at the opening, which was held in Beijing’s enormous Great Hall of the People, which faces out onto Tiananmen Square, saying that “our future is bright, but we still have a long way to go.”
“We must foster a firmer sense of purpose, fortitude and self-belief in the whole party and the Chinese people so that we cannot be swayed by fallacies, deterred by intimidation or cowed by pressure,” he said.
Little change is anticipated in China’s economic and foreign policies under Xi, who is known for his intolerance of dissent and strong stance on Covid-19, which includes quarantines and travel restrictions.
Asserting that it “placed the people and their lives above all else,” Xi justified the epidemic response.
The weeklong congress, the 20th in the history of the century-old party, comes as the economy is facing major headwinds from a sharp real estate slowdown, the war in Ukraine and the economic toll on tourism, retail and manufacturing from Covid-19 restrictions.
Like other political events in China, not much information has been made public beforehand, and the results won’t be made public until the weekend following next, following days of meetings behind closed doors.
A change to the congress’s charter is likely to be approved, potentially strengthening Xi’s position as president.
The spokesperson for the congress, Sun Yeli, offered few details at a news conference Saturday (local time).
According to him, the modifications will “meet new needs for expanding the party’s development and activity in the face of new conditions and new responsibilities.”
The party constitution was updated by the last congress in 2017 to reflect Xi’s philosophy, also known as Xi Jinping Thought. The ideology is vague but emphasises reviving the party’s mission as China’s political, economic, social and cultural leader and its central role in achieving national rejuvenation.
Xi, who has served as the country’s leader for ten years, has already accumulated significant power, putting himself in charge of the country’s domestic affairs, foreign policy, military, economy, and the majority of other important issues through the leadership of party working groups.
His leadership has increased the nation’s influence abroad while tightening existing rigid restrictions on information and criticism.
Banners criticising Xi and the Covid-19 programme were hung in Beijing at a rare public protest last week, but all mention of it was quickly removed from the internet and suppressed.
Xi touted as successes Chinese policies regarding Taiwan’s self-government and Hong Kong’s partial autonomy, which have been roundly criticised by the US and other democracies.
He said that steps taken after major protests in Hong Kong in 2019 had restored order and ensured it is governed by patriots.
A national security ordinance that his government enacted on the city has all but silenced critics and calls for democracy.
China’s Xi Jinping addresses the delegates as the congress begins.
About Author
