Xi believes China is on the ‘rightside of history’, despite its troubles

BEIJING (AP) — China “stands on the right side of history,” the country’s leader Xi Jinping said Saturday in a New Year’s address that came as questions swirl over his government’s handling of COVID-19 both at home and abroad.

Xi spoke on national television, sitting behind a desk in a wooden-paneled office. He avoided direct discussion of issues facing the country and instead focused on successes in agriculture production, poverty elimination, and hosting the Winter Olympics in February.

However, he later turned somewhat obliquely to the challenges facing the world’s most populous country and second-largest economy, saying, “The world is not at peace.”

China will “always steadfastly advocate for peace and development … and unswervingly stands on the right side of history,” he said.

Street protests against Xi’s government have been a common feature of recent weeks. This is the first time that the ruling Communist Party has faced street protests in over three decades.

Xi’s speech follows a stunning U-turn on China’s hard-line COVID-19 containment policy that has sparked a massive surge in infections and demands from the U.S. and others for travelers from China to prove they aren’t infected.

Meanwhile, the economy The country is trying to get out of the doldrums. This has led to rising unemployment and strained ties with other major countries.

With their uncertain futures aside, Beijingers and others have returned to work and shopped in other areas, while consumers prepare for January’s Lunar New Year, the most important holiday on the Chinese calendar.

Xi, also head of ever-more powerful armed forces was given in October a third five-year term of office as head of almost 97million-member Communist Party.

Having sidelined potential rivals and eliminated all limits on his terms in office, he could potentially serve as China’s leader for the rest of his life.

China is also under increasing pressure to end its support for Russia. On Friday, Xi hosted a meeting. virtual meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which he was quoted as describing the events in Ukraine as a “crisis.”

The term marked a departure from China’s usual references to the “Ukraine situation,” and the change may reflect growing Chinese concern about the direction of the conflict.

Xi made sure to reiterate China’s support for Moscow in his remarks to Putin. China has pledged a “no limits” friendship with Russia and hasn’t blamed Putin for the conflict, while attacking the U.S. and NATO and condemning punishing economic sanctions imposed on Russia.