China’s Xi Urges Military Advances Amid Growing U.S. Rivalry

President Xi Jinping called for “breaking new ground” in weapons development, as China and the U.S. rebalance their forces for an era of what Biden administration has dubbed “strategic competition.”

Xi told a military conference Tuesday that China must create a “new situation” to support the production of weaponry and military equipment and establish a modern management system for the industry, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. He praised the country’s achievements over the past five years, saying “such progress has served as the material and technological underpinning for the country’s strategic capabilities, military strength in particular.”