CHINA: Chinese president Xi Jinping says that the country will be facing rough seas in the next few years. He said so during a speech celebrating the People’s Republic of China’s 75th anniversary.
According to a report in the Guardian newspaper, the event was attended by 3,000 Chinese Communist party (CCP) members and foreign dignitaries and was held on the eve of China’s National Day. Xi spoke of how far China had come since Communist forces ousted the Nationalist government.
He said that “no difficulties can stop the Chinese people from moving forward”.
“The road ahead will not be smooth, there will definitely be difficulties and obstacles, and we may encounter major tests such as high winds and rough seas, or even stormy waves.”
“The Guardian: Xi Jinping forecasts ‘rough seas’ on 75th anniversary of People’s Republic of #China in speech to 3,000 party members & foreign dignitaries on the eve of #China’s national day https://t.co/QgRK463uGk
— Patricia M Thornton (@PM_Thornton) October 2, 2024
China is currently the world’s second-largest economy, but it faces major issues in its housing sector coupled with an ageing population. It has announced a plan to boost the economy by lowering interest rates and raising the retirement age, but analysts have warned that this may not be sufficient.
China is also involved in a number of territorial disputes. Xi emphasized that China would be annexing Taiwan in what he described as “reunification” efforts.
The CCP is claiming Taiwan as a Chinese province and says it will use force if needed.
“Taiwan is China’s sacred territory, and the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are connected by blood, and blood is thicker than water. No one can stop the wheel of history,” said Xi.
Taiwan, however, has a democratically elected independent government and is rejecting the idea of the CCP ruling over it, and it wants to maintain its current status.
Xi’s speech and the anniversary celebrations this year were a relatively low-key affair compared to previous years. In Beijing, celebrations were marked by a simple flag-raising ceremony in Tiananmen Square.
Many speculate that the reason for the lack of grand displays and celebrations was because of the financial and economic strain currently faced by the country. The state media, however, was quick to highlight Xi’s speech and focused on China’s achievements under the CCP rule.