Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday, at the opening of the Communist Party Congress, called for the acceleration of the construction of a world-class army, emphasizing security and confirming political priorities, international press agencies reported, Agerpres reported.

In his speech, which lasted less than two hours – far less than the nearly three and a half hours at the 2017 congress – Xi described the five years since the last party meeting as “extremely unusual and abnormal”.

Xi warns of ‘potential danger’ and says Beijing rejects ‘Cold War mentality’

“Tough times are ahead of us,” Xi Jinping said, warning of “potential dangers” so we must be “prepared for worst-case scenarios.” “Adapt and be prepared to face strong winds, rushing water and even dangerous storms,” ​​Xi told the 2,300 party delegates who arrived in Beijing from all provinces in China, according to DPA.

He called for strengthening capacity to maintain national security, secure food and energy supplies, secure supply chains, improve disaster resilience and protect personal information.

President Jinping urged the country to resolutely follow his party’s leadership to rejuvenate the Chinese nation and expand “socialism with Chinese characteristics.” The next five years are crucial, he said.

At the international level, the Chinese leader warned of “huge risks and challenges”. He also spoke about the “unprecedented global changes of the last century”.

In a clear reference to the United States, which he did not directly mention, Xi Jinping stressed that Beijing rejects a “Cold War mentality” in international relations. China “categorically opposes any form of hegemony and power politics, Cold War mentality, interference in the internal affairs of other countries, and double standards.” “China resolutely pursues an independent and peaceful foreign policy,” insisted the President of the People’s Republic of China, quoted by AFP.

Xi reiterated support for the private sector and giving markets a key role as China perfects a “socialist economic system” and promotes “shared prosperity.”

“We must build a high-level socialist market economic system… do not hesitate to consolidate and develop the public ownership system, do not hesitate to encourage and support the development of the private economy, make full use of the decisive role of the market in the allocation of resources, and better appreciate the role of the government,” he said. adding: “Through constant struggle, we have realized the Chinese nation’s thousand-year dream of moderate prosperity.”

During his ten years in power, Xi, now 69, steered China down an increasingly authoritarian path that prioritized security, state control of the economy in the name of “shared prosperity,” to more assertive diplomacy, strengthening the military and increasing pressure. to annex the democratically governed Taiwan, writes Reuters.

The son of a Communist Party revolutionary, Xi revived a party that had become deeply corrupt and increasingly irrelevant, extending its presence into all aspects of life.

Xinhua has released the main goals and objectives of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) for the next five years, as outlined in a report presented at the 20th National Congress of the CPC.

Among them are the achievement of greater autonomy and greater power in the field of science and technology; improvement of the socialist market economy; strengthening of institutions, standards and procedures of people’s democracy; improvement of the socialist system of rule of law with Chinese specificity; strengthening of national security; fulfillment of tasks for the centenary of the LPR in 2027; recording significant progress in building a peaceful China; increasing China’s international authority and influence so that it can play a more important role in global governance.

The party congress, held every five years, is focused on expanding Xi’s power after he abolished presidential term limits in 2018, paving the way for him to rule for a third five-year term or more.

Thus, given that delegates have almost never expressed disagreement with the party’s Politburo policies, they are expected to reconfirm Xi Jinping as the party’s most powerful post, general secretary from China, as president of the Central Military Council after a week of deliberations. Commission, as well as a third term at the head of the country, strengthening his position as the country’s strongest leader since Mao Zedong. Xi’s presidency will be renewed in March at the annual session of China’s parliament.

Analysts generally do not expect a significant change in the political course during Xi’s third term.

Among the more unusual delegates attending the Congress, AFP noted astronaut Wang Yaping, the first Chinese woman to walk into space, and Olympic speed-skating champion Wu Dajing, while politicians included Zhang Gaoli, the former vice-premier, the accused to tennis star Peng Shuai that he “forced” her to have sex, before recanting after the case was widely publicized abroad, Xi Hu Jintao’s gray-haired predecessor, but not Jiang Zemin, 96, who took over the country immediately after the protests were suppressed in Tiananmen Square in 1989.

Journalists locked in a sanitary bubble

Congress, which mostly takes place behind closed doors, strictly adheres to a “zero COVID” policy.

In accordance with strict sanitary protocols, all delegates are wearing masks, except for the front row where the celebrities are seated. Since Friday, journalists and all participants have been locked in a sanitary bubble, with mandatory masks and daily PCR tests.

As the date of the event approached, the Chinese capital took on the appearance of an impregnable fortress, with police and volunteers standing at the main intersections of Beijing. Since Thursday, security has been stepped up after a brief — and highly unusual — appearance of banners hostile to Xi Jinping. No information on the fate of the author or authors has been made public, writes AFP, which also notes that in his speech, Xi Jinping did not mention Xinjiang, where Western countries accuse Beijing of serious human rights violations against Muslim minorities. the Uighurs

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