Xi Jinping steers clear of US trade war and slowing economy in glowing review of China’s ‘extraordinary’ 2018
- President steers clear of controversies and makes no mention of increased tensions with US in his review of the previous 12 months
Chinese President Xi Jinping tried to talk up the country’s achievements over the past 12 months in a year-end speech that ignored or downplayed some of the major challenges, including the trade war with the US, that has put the Communist Party’s leadership to the test.
In Saturday’s address to members of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, the party’s advisory body, Xi said 2018 had been “extraordinary” for the party and government and flagged up a number of achievements, Xinhua the state news agency reported.
While the Belt and Road Initiative has faced an increasing international pushback amid fears it is saddling poorer countries with unsustainable debts, Xi’s speech steered clear of this and other sensitive topics.
Instead he praised the initiative for helping to improve international ties, adding: “Our circle of friends is expanding.”
The Chinese leader also highlighted a number of international forums and events the country had organised and pointed to the Greater Bay Area plan, a project to integrate Hong Kong and Macau more closely with neighbouring parts of the mainland, as proof of how the “one country, two systems” policy was developing.