The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) opened on October 16 in Beijing. General Secretary Xi Jinping presented the work report of the 19th Central Committee to the Congress. He listed the achievements of the CPC in the past five years and continued focus on economic development, innovation and poverty alleviation in the coming five years. Xi reaffirmed the zero-Covid policy as a great success protecting people's health.
The 2,296 delegates represent 96 million Party Members. On the rostrum in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing were former president Hu Jintao (79) and former Party elder Song Ping (105). The Congress will conclude on October 22, followed by the first meeting of the 20th Central Committee which will elect a new Political Bureau and Standing Committee of the Political Bureau, the new leadership team for Xi's expected third term at the head of the Communist Party. Personnel reshuffles in the government will be made at next March's National People's Congress (NPC). Except for the top leaders seated in the first row on the rostrum, all present wore face masks.
In his report, General Secretary Xi reviewed the achievements of the past five years, including in poverty alleviation, national defense and diplomacy, and previewed the targets for the next five years. Xi said the Party has started a great struggle against separatism and foreign interference on the Taiwan issue. On Hong Kong, Xi said it is an achievement that Hong Kong is administered by patriots, making it a better place. “Confronted with drastic changes and the international landscape, we have maintained foreign strategic resolve and have safeguarded dignity and core interests,” Xi told the delegates. “The situation in Hong Kong has achieved a major transition from chaos to order.”
Xi counts alleviating poverty as one of three “major events” of the past decade along with the Party’s centenary and socialism with Chinese characteristics entering a “new era”. Poverty alleviation is one of the party’s two centenary goals.
Xi praised China’s scientific development, from space exploration and nuclear technology to pharmaceutical breakthroughs and deep-sea exploration. China aims to become more innovative and self-sufficient in its technology, especially in the face of competition and sanctions from the U.S. China spent a record CNY2.79 trillion on research and development (R&D) in 2021, an increase of more than 14% over 2020. China has become a major trading partner and a major destination for foreign investment, and has introduced a broader agenda of opening up. On national defense, he said the Party’s goal is to “build a strong military in the new era”, with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) having a new look and a new structure.
Xi said China gained an overwhelming victory against corruption and fully consolidated the fight against graft. The Party also has shortcomings and faces many difficulties that it has to resolve, but “self-revolution” is one way to escape a historical cycle leading to a downturn, ensuring the Party will never change. He highlighted Marxism as one of the fundamental guiding principles of the country, saying: “We owe the success of our party and socialism with Chinese characteristics to Marxism and how China has managed to adapt it.”
Xi stated two centenary goals. The first one, the Party’s 100th anniversary, was reached last year. The second is the centenary of the People’s Republic of China in 2049, and the goal is to “build a modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced and harmonious”.
Xi said China must focus on high-quality development, including work safety, supply chain resilience and the “dual circulation” economic strategy that focuses on expanding domestic demand to become more self-reliant. Xi said China will continue to support the development of the non-public sector and focus on the development of the real economy. Development remains China’s top priority and reform will be in the direction of a socialist market economy and high-level opening. China will combine domestic demand creation with supply-side structural reform as it accelerates the development of the dual-circulation strategy. Education, technology and talent are the basis for the development of China as a strong country and for rejuvenating the country. “Technology is the prime production force, talent is the prime resource and innovation is a prime driving force,” he said, while also stressing the need for technological self-reliance.
Xi highlighted the concept of “whole-process democracy” as “democracy that works”, and the need to ensure that people can exercise their powers through the people’s congress system.” He talked about the importance of building a strong “socialist” culture and the Sinicization of religions. He stressed the need to tell the “China story” to promote China’s narrative, present a China that is credible and respectable, and better show China’s culture to the world. Xi said China will promote the common prosperity strategy in a concrete way. While boosting the size of the middle-income population, it will standardize income distribution and wealth accumulation.
and strengthen it to respond to epidemics and infectious diseases. China needs to push further on health infrastructure, build a system of pro-natal policies and proactively implement the national strategy to deal with an aging population. China will establish a housing system in which both renting and buying will be highlighted. China will promote green and low-carbon development, improve pollution controls, and use coal in a cleaner and more efficient way. “National security is the foundation of national rejuvenation, and social stability is a prerequisite of national strength,” Xi Jinping said. He promised to further strengthen the military, and improve its equipment, technology and strategic capability.
The fight against corruption will continue, Xi said, as “corruption is the biggest cancer that harms the vitality and combat effectiveness of the Party, and anti-corruption is the most thorough self-revolution”.
Xi pledged to complete the reunification of China, putting Taiwan under the control of the government in Beijing and refusing to renounce the use of force. He said the resolution of the Taiwan issue is a matter for the Chinese people themselves. Xi promised China will not engage in any kind of “expansionism” and said it is committed to its policy of opening up to the outside world. China adheres to the basic state policy of economic globalization and jointly fostering new momentum for global development.
Xi finished his speech by calling for unity to achieve China’s national rejuvenation. His speech lasted one hour and 45 minutes, much shorter than his record-breaking 3½-hour speech five years ago.
About 2,500 journalists, including some 900 from overseas, have registered to cover the Congress. Five press conferences and five group interviews are planned, but face-to-face interviews with delegates will be limited due to Covid-19 restrictions.
This overview of Xi's speech is based on a live blog by the South China Morning Post.
