Opening of the Chinese Communist Party Congress, the President of China Xi Jinping warned on Saturday that difficult times lie ahead.
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Beijing Addressing some 2,300 congressional delegates at the Great Hall of the People, Xi warned of “potential dangers”, stressing that China must be “prepared for worst-case scenarios.”
“So adapt and be ready to face strong winds, rough waters and even more terrible storms,” said the head of state and secretary general of the party.
He called on the country to follow the party leadership with determination to renew the Chinese nation and spread “socialism with Chinese characteristics”.
Xi stressed that the next five years will be decisive in this regard.
He said that “enormous risks and problems” are foreseen in the international arena and that “global changes not seen in a century” are foreseen.
Among other things, the Chinese president also praised the country’s efforts COVID-19 the “zero tolerance” policy, which has achieved “an enormously stimulating success” both from the point of view of the fight against the pandemic and in terms of economic development.
While the rest of the world tries to live with the virus in the meantime China it continues to implement its “zero tolerance” policy and even today tens of millions of Chinese are still under full or partial house arrest.
Xi also reiterated Beijing’s position Taiwan on the issue, stating that the island is part of Chinese territory and that the use of military force for its recovery is not excluded.
“Full reunification with the homeland must be achieved, and it is certainly possible to achieve it,” the head of state underlined to the congress delegates.
The Communist Party Congress, which meets every five years, is expected to re-elect Xi as the party’s general secretary, further consolidating his power.
The delegates to the congress, who almost never deviate from the course established by the party politburo, should formally sanction the ideological postulates personally expressed by Xi in the statutes of the Communist Party.
Congress must also elect new members of the party’s central committee.
After the week-long congress, 69-year-old Xi will be confirmed for his third five-year term as party leader in the plenary session of the party’s central committee.
Meanwhile, other members of the Politburo will be subject to both mandate and age restrictions and, as a result, many will have to leave their posts.
The changes in the party’s leadership will be followed by a change of government and the new prime minister and new ministers should be chosen in March.
