Xi Jinping: China is “on the right side of history”

China is “on the right side of history,” its president said Saturday Xi Jinping in a New Year’s message, at a time of questioning about the way his government has handled the pandemic from COVID-19 and economic and political challenges at home and abroad.

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Speaking on national television from a desk in a wood-paneled office, Xi largely avoided touching on the problems facing the nation, instead focusing on successes in agricultural production, the elimination of poverty and the organization of the Winter Olympics in February.

However, he did later refer somewhat obliquely to the challenges facing the world’s most populous country and its second largest economy, saying: “The world is not at peace.”

China “will always firmly advocate for peace and development… and stands unswervingly on the right side of history,” he said.

In recent weeks there have been street protests against Xi’s government, the first faced by the Communist Party in more than three decades.

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Xi delivered his speech after a stunning sea change in China’s hardline policy to contain COVID-19, in which restrictions were eased. This has unleashed a massive increase in infections, and demands from the United States and other countries that travelers from the Asian country prove that they are not infected.

Meanwhile, the economy is suffering from rising unemployment, and relations with the United States and other countries are at their lowest level in years.

China is also facing mounting pressure for its continued support for Russia. On Friday, Xi held a virtual meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which the Chinese leader called the war in Ukraine a “crisis.”

The term used shows a change, since previously Beijing had referred to that conflict as “the situation in Ukraine.” That change could reflect growing Chinese concern about the direction the war has taken.

Source: Elcomercio

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I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.