US & China
Defiant Xi Tells World China Is Ready to Stand Its Ground
- President reaffirms policies at center of frictions with US
- Hits back in two-hour speech to open crucial party gathering
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President Xi Jinping had a clear message to those who want to thwart China’s rise: You will fail.
In a speech running almost two hours on Sunday, Xi let the world know that China wouldn’t change course even as it faces “dangerous storms” in a more hostile world. Instead, he declared the “rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is now on an irreversible historical course” and more forcefully offered China up as an alternative to the US and its allies.