China's Xi Jinping hails 'new era' of power amid 'complex changes abroad'
Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, hailed a “new era” for his country at the opening of a crucial Communist Party Congress that is expected to see his power strengthened.
Mr Xi spoke of a “new historical direction” for China as it achieves increased prosperity and prestige on the world stage in coming decades.
The Chinese leader also said there were no plans for political reform and warned self-ruled Taiwan that Beijing has "the resolve, the confidence, and the ability to defeat” moves towards independence.
Mr Xi spoke for almost three-and-a-half hours in Beijing’s cavernous Great Hall of the People to more than 2,000 delegates, hundreds of senior officials and former presidents Hu Jintao and Jiang Zemin – who is now aged 91..
"Through a long period of hard work, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era, this is a new historical direction in our country's development," said Mr Xi said, who also pointed to “complex changes” abroad.
He said China was on course to become a "moderately well-off society" by 2021 - the 100th anniversary of the party's founding – and would emerge as a modern socialist "strong power" by 2050.
Mr Xi’s speech, which was both nationalist and firm, but also positive on China’s development, had been hotly anticipated across the country.
Images emerged online of nursery children watching his address on televisions, while another widely-shared picture showed a hospital ward where patients were also listening to the address.
Mr Xi also said that China “should not just mechanically copy the political systems of other countries", and called on members to “make the party still stronger”.
The address came at the start of the Communist Party’s twice-a-decade Party Congress, a gathering of more than 2,000 carefully hand-picked delegates.
The delegates will select members of a Central Committee which appoints a 25-member Politburo before an all-powerful Standing Committee is unveiled next Tuesday.
Despite being portrayed as an exercise in democracy, decisions on appointments are in reality made by internal horse-trading.
Many believe Mr Xi will tighten his grip on power by filling key positions across the party and military with his loyal supporters.
Andrew Nathan, a Chinese expert at the University of Columbia, said: “He'll put on show a leadership at all levels composed of people who are firmly loyal to him personally.
“It will be a demonstration of tight political unity around the central idea of Xi's vision, which is the vision of the China Dream - domestic prosperity and stability, international stature at the level of a great power.”
Mr Xi sought to rouse party members into helping him achieve the ‘Chinese Dream’ during his speech.
"The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is no walk in the park or mere drum-beating and gong-clanging,” he said.
“The whole party must be prepared to make ever more difficult and harder efforts.”
Facts you didnt know about China
Mr Xi also reached out to foreign businesses who are seeking to develop trade with the world’s second biggest economy.
The Chinese president has previously sought to position himself as a possible focal point for a globalist-orientated world order – in contrast to Donald Trump’s “America first” policies in Washington.
"China will not close its doors to the world, we will only become more and more open," Mr Xi said.
The marathon speech was welcomed by delegates as they walked out of the Great Hall of the People and into Tiananmen Square, which was shrouded with heavy smog and lashed with rain.
“I didn’t think it was long at all,” said Yang Qiongying, a headmaster from the central Henan province.
“Xi was telling the story of the Chinese dream, which means I don’t feel tired at all.”
Additional reporting by Christine Wei.
