Xi Jinping says China is ‘invincible’, regardless of challenges ahead

‘As long as we can stand on our own … we will be invincible no matter how the storm changes internationally,’ Communist Party cadres told in January speech

‘Judging from how this pandemic is being handled by different leaderships and [political] systems …[we can] clearly see who has done better,’ he says

Reading Time:5 minutes

99+

Xi Jinping said in a speech in January that the world was in turmoil but that China would rise to any challenge. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 2:08pm, 6 May 2021Updated: 4:33pm, 11 May 2021

Chinese President Xi Jinping told Communist Party officials at the start of the year the world was in “turmoil” and would be for some time, but regardless of the challenges it faced, Beijing was “invincible”.

His comments came in a speech made during a study session at the Central Party School on January 11 – just five days after a mob stormed the US Capitol in Washington – and was published in full by party journal Qiushi on Friday.

“At present, the world is experiencing profound and unprecedented changes,” he said. “The most conspicuous feature of the world today can be summarised in one word – ‘turmoil’ – and it looks like this situation will continue for some time.”

Large parts of the speech, which ran to more than 12,000 words, concerned China’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Judging from how this pandemic is being handled by different leaderships and [political] systems around the world, [we can] clearly see who has done better,” he said, without mentioning any countries by name.

“Time and history are on our side and this is where our conviction and resilience lie, and why we are so determined and confident.”

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x