All eyes are on Xi Jinping, who is expected to break with tradition and take on a third term as party chief, paving the way for potential lifelong rule.
During his speech on Sunday, Xi defended zero-Covid, pledged to renew economic growth, praised the role of “patriots” in Hong Kong, warned China would not rule out the use of force with Taiwan, and said its military should improve its “ability to win.”
Delegates will also select new party leaders — but it’s more a formality than a true election, with the real decisions hashed out by top leaders in a secretive process long before the congress.
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Our live coverage of the start of China’s Communist Party Congress has ended. Read more about the event, key takeaways, and what to expect in the coming week, here:
Beijing must abandon "acts of coercion and aggression," Taiwan says
From CNN's Eric Cheung in Taipei, Taiwan
Chinese leader Xi Jinping walks on stage during the Opening Ceremony of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in Beijing on October 16.
(Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)
Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council, a government agency responsible for handling cross-strait affairs, responded to Xi Jinping’s speech on Sunday by saying Beijing should “abandon its acts of coercion and aggression.”
The council added that while the Chinese Communist Party has emphasized Xi’s longtime key goal of “national rejuvenation,” it has never undertaken true democratic reforms, built a free civil society, or faced cross-strait relations with a new perspective.
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Here are the main takeaways from Xi Jinping's opening speech to China's Party Congress today
Chinese leader Xi Jinping kicked off the Communist Party Congress on Sunday with a nearly two-hour speech, which highlighted several key domestic and international priorities — and offered hints into Xi’s vision for the country’s future.
Here are the main takeaways:
The Covid strategy: China is one of the world’s last major economies adhering to zero-Covid, which aims to stamp out chains of transmission using border controls, snap lockdowns, mass testing and mandatory quarantine. Despite the heavy toll on the economy and growing public frustration, Xi defended this policy on Sunday, indicating it may not be going anywhere soon.
On Hong Kong: The semi-autonomous city has seen significant social, political and economic upheaval for the last few years, with massive protests in 2019 followed by a sweeping crackdown — and its own Covid crisis. On Sunday, Xi claimed that Beijing’s measures in the city — including imposing a national security law and overhauling the electoral system — had turned Hong Kong “from chaos to governance.”
On Taiwan: Xi took a strong stance on the self-governing island, which the Communist Party claims as its territory despite never having controlled it.
China has the “resolve and ability” to maintain its “territorial integrity,” including its claim to Taiwan, said Xi — and offered a stern warning.
Economic growth: Facing an economy in crisis after years of isolation on the world stage and internal regulatory crackdowns, Xi said on Sunday that China would focus on education and innovation to “renew growth.”
China will “speed up efforts to achieve greater self-reliance in science and technology,” he said, in comments that come just months after his recent crackdown on the country’s private sector and major tech companies.
Bulking up the military: Xi also vowed to speed up efforts to build the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) into a “world-class military,” pledging to improve the PLA’s ability to safeguard national sovereignty.
He urged the PLA to strengthen its training “under combat conditions” and improve its “ability to win.”
Socialism and repression: Xi emphasized the need to build “cultural confidence” and develop China’s socialist culture.
China must “firmly grasp the party’s leadership over ideological work,” he said — which appeared to signal tightening controls on Chinese society, which has already seen a ramping up of online censorship and a sharp crackdown on civil society and dissent under Xi’s 10-year rule.
A few other notable highlights:
Nearly the whole hall was masked — with just the 25-member Politburo, including Xi, and some party elders in the front row going bare-faced.
The Peng Shuai official: Zhang Gaoli, a former Party official accused of sexually assaulting tennis star Peng Shuai, sat in a prominent position behind Xi during the speech — the first time he’s been spotted at a live event since the allegation.
The speech was shorter: It ran at just under two hours, compared to Xi’s previous speech at the 2017 Party Congress, which stretched more than three hours.
Eyes on the tea: Xi paused several times to clear his throat and sip tea — raising some eyebrows among observers online. The attention paid to such a small gesture speaks volumes about the scrutiny on Xi, the amount of power he wields and his outsized role in China’s governance, said CNN Beijing Bureau Chief Steven Jiang.
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"Security," "development," and other buzzwords in Xi's two-hour speech
From CNN's Yong Xiong in New York and Simone McCarthy in Hong Kong
The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) opens at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on October 16.
(Yue Yuewei/Xinhua/Zuma Press)
Xi Jinping’s address on Sunday clocked in at just under two hours, significantly shorter than his last Party Congress address in 2017 which stretched to more than three hours.
Sunday’s speech was peppered with several highly repeated terms, shining a light on some of Xi’s areas of emphasis.
Xi repeated the Chinese term for security around 50 times, at one point calling national security the “foundation of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.”
He also urged enhancing security in military, economy and “all aspects,” both at home and abroad.
Xi also emphasized “development,” both of the nation and its ideology, as well in tangible sectors like the economy, rule of law and technological prowess. The term appeared more than 100 times in the report.
Both of those terms were also widely used in the last speech he delivered five years ago — which was more than 27,000 Chinese characters, compared to over 14,000 characters this year.
“Security” appeared in the 2017 document only a handful of times more than it did in this year’s, despite the difference in character count.
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If you're just joining us, here's what you need to know
From CNN's Simone McCarthy
For those just joining us, here’s what has happened so far with China’s Communist Party Congress.
What it is: The congress is a week-long conclave that meets once every five years to choose new leaders, discuss changes to the party constitution and lay out a policy agenda for the country. It’s attended by nearly 2,300 carefully selected Communist Party members, called delegates, from around the country.
Xi’s speech: Chinese leader Xi Jinping formally opened the meeting on Sunday with a nearly two-hour speech about the party’s achievements in the past five years, as well as its priorities for the next five.
He highlighted several geopolitical hotspots including Hong Kong and Taiwan; and laid out domestic goals for China’s troubled economy, looming demographic crisis, developing socialist culture and strengthening of the military.
Who attends the meeting: Party delegates range from top provincial officials and military officers to professionals across sectors, and so-called grassroots representatives like farmers and industrial workers.
This cohort also includes the hierarchy of the Chinese Communist Party, which is among the world’s largest political parties with more than 96 million members.
The levels of power: There are three distinct rings in that hierarchy. Around 400 of the National Congress delegates are members of the Party’s elite Central Committee, which in turn includes the members of the upper echelon: the 25-member Politburo and its Standing Committee – China’s most powerful decision-making body, typically composed of five to nine men and led by the general secretary.
Focus on the Party: The meeting is all about the Communist Party – the overarching source of power in China – and will ultimately guide who fills government positions.
In recent decades these meetings – which take place almost entirely behind closed doors – have seen a streamlined transfer of power: the convention is for the top party leader, having completed two five-year terms, to pass the baton to a carefully chosen successor who is revealed at the end of the congress.
But this time around, Xi is expected to upend that precedent, pitching China into a new era of strongman rule and uncertainty over when or how the country would see another leader.
Hong Kong, once China's city of dissent, will be watching the Party Congress as crackdown continues
Chinese leader Xi Jinping launched into his nearly two-hour speech on Sunday with several key priorities — one of which is an international financial hub in the country’s south, long known as China’s city of dissent.
Hong Kong, a semi-autonomous metropolis and former British colony, has long stood apart from other Chinese cities with its own judicial system, currency, global trade relationships, and civil liberties – a model of governance called “One Country, Two Systems.”
But many in Hong Kong have long feared China’s encroachment on those rare freedoms, prompting numerous protests and calls for greater democracy over the years — including the massive 2019 pro-democracy anti-government protests.
Crackdown in Hong Kong: The protests posed an unprecedented open challenge to Xi and the central government – which swiftly imposed a sweeping national security law in Hong Kong in 2020. The law has since been used to jail protesters and activists, shut down independent newsrooms, target former elected lawmakers, and impose new forms of censorship.
The crackdown is still ongoing, with frequent arrests and prison sentences. Hong Kong authorities have repeatedly claimed that the city’s freedoms remain intact, and that the security law has restored order and stability.
A triumphant Xi: On Sunday, Xi claimed Beijing had turned the city “from chaos to governance,” and praised the “patriots administering Hong Kong.”
City leader’s response: John Lee, Hong Kong’s leader and the former security chief who oversaw much of the crackdown, posted a photo of himself standing close to a television broadcasting the Party Congress on Sunday.
Lee, who was appointed to the role in May this year, wrote in his caption that Hong Kong has faced numerous challenges in the past five years, from the “social turmoil of 2019” to the Covid-19 pandemic. Beijing’s measures have “pushed Hong Kong into a new stage of progress,” and the city now is ready to “open a new chapter,” he wrote.
China is navigating "grim and complex international situation," says Xi without naming any countries
From CNN’s Yong Xiong in New York
Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a speech during the opening session of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in Beijing on October 16.
(Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)
During his speech at the start of the Party Congress, Xi Jinping said China was working to navigate a “grim and complex international situation” and “huge risks and challenges that came one after another” – possibly referencing the global pandemic and Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, though he did not identify any countries by name.
China’s stance on the war: China has offered rhetorical support to Russia throughout its invasion of Ukraine, but Xi did not overtly mention the war in his address on Sunday.
On the West: Xi did not name the US or other Western countries — but repeated phrases that Beijing has previously used often to hit out at Washington.
China “firmly opposes all forms of hegemonism and power politics, opposes the Cold War mentality, and opposes interfere in the internal affairs of other countries and oppose double standards,” Xi said.
On Taiwan: Xi also spoke about Taiwan, a self-governing island that the Communist Party claims as its territory — despite never having controlled it.
Because of this claim, Beijing does not consider the future of Taiwan as a foreign policy matter. “Solving the Taiwan issue is the Chinese people’s own business, and it is up to the Chinese people to decide,” Xi said on Sunday.
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Taiwan says it will never compromise on sovereignty in response to Xi’s speech
From CNN’s Eric Cheung in Taipei, Taiwan
Taiwan's president, Tsai Ing-wen, speaks during the National Day celebration in Taipei on October 10.
(I-Hwa Cheng/Bloomberg/Getty Images)
Taiwan will never compromise on values of sovereignty, democracy and freedom, the island’s presidential office said on Sunday in response to comments made by Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
Chang also referenced a speech given by Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen on National Day last week that Taipei is willing to work with Beijing to find “mutually acceptable ways” to maintain peace and stability on the Taiwan Strait.
What Xi said on Taiwan: Xi delivered a stern warning on Sunday regarding Taiwan, saying it would “never promise to renounce the use of force and we reserve the option of taking all measures necessary.”
“Complete reunification of our country must be realized,” he said.
China’s ruling Communist Party claims Taiwan as its territory, despite never having controlled the self-governing democratic island of 23 million people.
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In photos: China's top officials gathered to hear Xi Jinping's two-hour speech
Chinese leader Xi Jinping during the opening ceremony of the 20th National Congress of China's ruling Communist Party in Beijing on October 16.
(Mark Schiefelbein/Associated Press)
China’s Communist Party Congress kicked off Sunday, with leader Xi Jinping delivering an almost two-hour speech at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, where nearly 2,300 delegates from around the country had gathered.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the 20th National Congress of China's ruling Communist Party in Beijing on October 16.
(Mark Schiefelbein/Associated Press)
Nearly all of them wore face masks — except the 25-member Politburo, including Xi, and a number of party elders sitting in the front row on stage.
Masks are still ubiquitous across China, in stark contrast to much of the Western world, which has reopened and relaxed measures in public spaces.
Delegates wear masks as they attend the opening ceremony of the 20th National Congress of China's ruling Communist Party in Beijing on October 16.
(Mark Schiefelbein/Associated Press)
Security had ramped up ahead of the event, with personnel stationed across Beijing — including on many bridges, after a rare and swiftly silenced protest on Thursday saw banners opposing Xi and his Covid restrictions hung on an overpass in the capital.
A member of the security staff keeps watch in front of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on October 16.
(Noel Celis/AFP/Getty Images)
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Former party official accused of sexual assault against tennis star Peng Shuai gets prominent seat for Xi speech
From CNN’s Yong Xiong in New York
A former Communist Party official accused of sexually assaulting tennis star Peng Shuai sat in a prominent position behind Xi Jinping for the Chinese leader’s speech in Beijing on Sunday — the first time he’s been spotted at a live event since the allegation.
Zhang Gaoli sat with senior party officials on the stage of the Great Hall Of The People, directly visible by TV cameras for parts of Xi’s nearly two-hour speech.
Peng, a former Wimbledon and French Open doubles champion, last year accused retired Vice Premier Zhang of pressuring her into having sex, according to screenshots of a since-deleted post from Peng’s verified account on Weibo, China’s Twitter-like social media platform.
The post was scrubbed from Chinese social media and Peng was not heard from for weeks after, raising fears for her safety.
Peng later retracted the accusation against Zhang, leading critics of the Chinese Communist Party to suggest she had again been silenced.
This Party Congress is different from others in the past. Here's why
From CNN's Simone McCarthy
Military delegates arrive before the opening ceremony of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on October 16.
(Thomas Peter/Reuters)
For more than two decades, a new general secretary has been appointed at every other Communist Party Congress.
But since the last Congress in 2017, Xi Jinping has signaled plans to keep a firm grip on all aspects of what’s considered a trifecta of power in China: control over the party, the state and the military.
At the last Congress in 2017, he broke with tradition and did not elevate a potential successor to the Standing Committee.
Then, months later, China’s rubber-stamp legislature eliminated the term limits for President of China. This was widely seen as enabling Xi to continue to a third term as head of state, while also retaining his control of the party – where the true power lies.
While there are no formal term limits for general secretary, staying in the top party role would also require Xi to break with another unwritten rule: the party’s informal age limit.
Abandoning term limits: The norm is that senior officials who are 68 or older at the time of the Congress will retire. At 69, Xi would flout this recent convention by staying in power.
What’s less clear is whether he will seek to give other Politburo allies exemptions, disrupting one of the few neutral methods the party has to ensure turnover, or whether, in contrast, he could lower the retirement age for others to oust some existing members.
Changing the constitution: Xi is also expected to strengthen his legacy, likely through amendments to the party constitution — a regular feature of each Congress.
Last month, the Politburo discussed these changes during a scheduled meeting, according to a government statement that did not include specifics.
In 2017, Xi became the first leader since Mao Zedong — Communist China’s founder — to have his philosophy added to the constitution while still in power. Oservers have suggested Xi’s key principles could be further enshrined this time around.
These details will be signs of how much power Xi holds within the upper echelons of the party – and how strong his backing is as he steps into his expected, norm-breaking third term leading one of the world’s most powerful countries.
Office workers, monks and children across China watched Xi's nationally televised speech
Photos shared on social media on Sunday showed people from all walks of life across China tuning in to Xi Jinping’s nationally televised speech.
One photo shows a group of monks, all clad in orange robes, sitting at desks and watching the speech projected onto a wall.
Since Xi took office in 2012, the Chinese Communist Party has expanded its reach into private lives — with analysts saying this intrusion has been long in the making, following Beijing’s tightening grip on other aspects of Chinese society, its heightened censorship and wave of nationalism in recent years.
The party has focused particularly on Chinese youth, with policies that require students from elementary schools to universities to study Xi’s political philosophy, as well as other key groups, such as religious organizations and private businesses.
One photo posted online Sunday shows a young girl sitting on a stool close to a television, with Xi’s face on the screen as he delivers the nearly two-hour address.
Several similar photos have circulated on social media; some children watched the speech on iPhones in bed, others on laptops and tablets in their homes.
Other photos show groups of people, including office workers, gathered around TVs broadcasting the speech.
The Party Congress is the most important event on China’s political calendar, drawing attention not only at home but among observers overseas.
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Analysis: China needs a new economic model — but Xi's going about it the wrong way, experts say
From CNN's Laura He
Shoppers walk through Taikoo Li Village Mall in Beijing in May.
(Bloomberg )
China’s economy is in crisis, with the property sector bludgeoned, youth unemployment at record levels, and an unhappy middle-class.
According to analysts, thevulnerabilities in the financial system are a result of the country’s unfettered debt-fuelled expansion in the previous decade —and themodel needs tochange.
“But this model had reached a point of significantly diminishing returns and was increasing economic inequality, financial debt, and environmental damage,” he said.
Xi’s risky strategy: While Xi is trying to change that model, he is not going about it the right way, experts said, and is risking the future of China’s businesses with tighter state controls.
The 69-year old leader launched his crackdown to rein in the “disorderly” private businesses that were growing too powerful. He also wants to redistribute wealth in the society, under his “common prosperity” goal.
Xi hopes for a “new normal,” where consumption and services become more important drivers of expansion than investments and exports.
Slowdown and isolation: The International Monetary Fund recently cut its forecast for China’s growth to 3.2% this year, representing a sharp slowdown from 8.1% in 2021. That would bethe country’s second lowest growth rate in 46 years, better only than2020 when the initial coronavirus outbreak pummeled the economy.
Under Xi, China has not only become more insular, but has also seen the fraying of US-China relations. His refusal to condemn Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, and China’s recent aggression towards Taiwan, could alienate the country evenfurther from Washington and its allies.
Beijing's propaganda machine kicked into full gear ahead of the Party Congress
From the CNN International Photo Desk
China’s top political leaders are meeting in the capital Beijing for the 20th Communist Party Congress – and the country’s propaganda machine has kicked into full gear.
(Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)
One photo from October 12 show hostesses gathering in front of a screen showing Chinese leader Xi Jinping, at an exhibition in the capital Beijing.
Other photos show visitors in Beijing gathering in front of a large display showing the Communist flag on October 13.
(Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)
The Art Museum of the National Academy of Painting in Beijing held an exhibition titled: “Towards Rejuvenation – The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China held by the National Academy of Painting,” a reference to Xi Jinping’s key overarching policy goal of “the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.”
(Julien Tan/Avalon via ZUMA Press)
The official enthusiasm isn’t just in the Chinese capital, either; in the southern hub of Guangzhou, some visitors on Saturday were photographed observing an exhibition about the third Communist Party Congress, held in the city in 1923.
In Beijing, the Communist Party delegates held a preparatory meeting for the congress on Saturday at the Great Hall of the People.
( Huang Jingwen/Xinhua/Getty Images)
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Analysis: In the past decade, Xi has struck down political enemies in a sweeping corruption crackdown
Local and international newspapers report the launch of the formal investigation into former Politburo Standing Committee member Zhou Yongkang on the front page on July 30, 2014.
(Nora Tam/South China Morning Post/Getty Images)
As the country’s political elite gathers to endorse new leaders at the Party Congress, Xi finds himself with an advantage after largely eliminating his rivals in the past decade.
Soon after he came into office in 2012, Xi unleashed a sweeping anti-corruption campaign, which not only targeted corrupt officials, but also his political enemies.
He oversaw the spectacular downfall of powerful figures such as Zhou Yongkang, a former Politiburo Standing Committee member and security czar who was jailed for life, and Xu Caihou, a top army general who died of cancer after being expelled from the party.
These targets, sometimes called the “tigers and flies,” ranged from powerful party leaders to lowly officials. A number of rising political stars have also been struck down – such as Sun Zhengcai, former party secretary of the southwestern metropolis Chongqing, who was removed in 2017 in the lead-up to the 19th Party Congress.
The purge has also intensified in recent months, ahead of the Party Congress; in late September, former deputy public security minister Sun Lijun was sentenced to life in prison on corruption charges, after being accused of leading a “political clique” in China’s security establishment.
Several other members were identified as part of the “political clique” and handed long prison sentences in September.
What this means for Xi: The crackdown, combined with a number of other measures, have concentrated power in Xi’s hands, with his allies in high positions and no room for internal dissent.
But, some experts say, this also risks sowing resentment in the party toward Xi, which could cause problems in the long term — and it leaves little space in which to groom a successor.
Communist Party will show "no mercy" to corrupt officials, says Xi
From CNN's Yong Xiong in New York and Jessie Yeung in Hong Kong
The Chinese Communist Party has “zero tolerance” for corruption and will show “no mercy” to those found guilty of graft, Chinese leader Xi Jinping told party delegates in Beijing Sunday.
Soon after he came into office in 2012, Xi unleashed a sweeping anti-corruption campaign, with targets ranging from powerful leaders and rising political stars to lowly officials — sometimes called the “tigers and flies.”
The purges targeted not only the corrupt, but also Xi’s political enemies.
“The fight against corruption has won an overwhelming victory and has been consolidated in an all-round way, eliminating serious hidden dangers within the party, the state, and the military,” he said.
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North Korea congratulates China on start of Party Congress: state media
A member of the Chinese honor guard unfurls the Chinese national flag to mark the 73rd anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in Beijing on October 1.
(Chen Zhonghao/Xinhua/Associated Press)
North Korea sent a congratulatory message to China on the start of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) 20th National Congress and pledged to continue to work together to develop stronger ties, according to North Korea’s state-run KCNA.
Both the WPK and the CCP were “defending the common interests of the two peoples and powerfully leading the socialist cause,” the statement read, adding that the two groups were “invariably supporting and cooperating with each other despite (an) unprecedentedly complicated international environment.”
Tensions are running high on the Korean Peninsula, as the United States and its allies respond to North Korea’s flurry of recent missile tests – including one that flew over neighboring Japan without warning.
North Korea has tested missiles nine times since September 25 – a prolific number, even in a year that has seen the highest number of launches since leader Kim Jong Un took power in 2011 – while repeatedly talking up its nuclear capabilities.
On Thursday North Korea also received a reply from Xi after Kim had sent a message of warm wishes to China on its 73rd founding anniversary, which took place on October 1, KCNA reported Sunday.
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Beijing ramps up security for the congress, with authorities on high alert after rare protest
Justin Robertson/CNN
This weekend, as Beijing prepared for the start of the Communist Party Congress, security ramped up with guards stationed across the capital.
Tensions were especially high after a rare protest on Thursday, when photos circulating online showed two banners hung on an overpass.
The protest was swiftly ended; when CNN arrived at the site, Sitong Bridge, that afternoon, no protesters or banners could be seen. However, a large number of security personnel were on the overpass and in the vicinity, with security personnel spotted patrolling every overpass CNN drove by on the Third Ring Road.
Justin Robertson/CNN
In other parts of the city, however, life continued on as normal. Walking through Beijing on Saturday, CNN saw young girls taking photos in the park, workers sweeping the street, employees enjoying takeout lunch boxes, motorbike riders with Chinese flags affixed to their handlebars — and Covid workers in full protective gear, including a plastic face shield, a common sight under China’s stringent zero-Covid policy.
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Analysis: Xi Jinping painted a picture of innovation and growth — but the reality at home is less optimistic
Xi Jinping laid out economic goals for China during his speech on Sunday — but it was “all about celebrating successes,” a far cry from the economic crisis the country is battling, said CNN International Correspondent Selina Wang.
“This picture of growth and economic prosperity that Xi Jinping painted is in sharp contrast to the severe economic challenges he faces … whether it’s a property sector in crisis, skyrocketing unemployment record, high unemployment for the young people in China, as well as the economic slowdown caused by his own zero-Covid policy,” Wang said.
“We didn’t hear those criticisms in his speech — instead, he laid out some vague policy plans.”
Wang pointed to three policy plans in particular:
Renewing growth: Xi’s goal to push forward scientific and technological innovation is striking given his crackdown on the private sector. “We’ve seen mass layoffs at China’s tech companies, we’ve seen market value wiped off from China tech giants like Alibaba and Tencent — but it’s clear from his speech that Xi Jinping intends to see innovation as being state-led, as being led by the Chinese Communist Party,” Wang said.
Self-reliance: Increasing China’s self-reliance in the tech and science industries “is going to be a huge challenge for China in not just the years to come, but in the decades to come, particularly in the chip-making sector,” Wang said. Despite China’s investments in the industry, it’s still lagging far behind the US.
Demographic crisis: Xi said China should implement a strategy to respond to the country’s looming demographic crisis, with a rapidly ageing population and declining birth rate despite continuous efforts by authorities to encourage childbirth in recent years. Xi’s own Covid policies, and the economic toll, could play a part, said Wang, adding: “I’ve spoken to so many young couples who say the financial difficulties they’re facing, the constant pressure from zero-Covid — it makes them not want to have kids.”
Xi cleared his throat and sipped tea during the speech. Why is that such a big deal?
Chinese leader Xi Jinping holds a cup as he speaks at the opening ceremony of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China on October 16.
(Thomas Peter/Reuters)
During Xi Jinping’s speech at the start of the Party Congress, lasting just under two hours, the Chinese leader paused frequently to clear his throat and sip tea — raising eyebrows among observers online.
The fact such a simple gesture has commanded such attention illustrates the scrutiny placed on Xi as the country’s supreme leader, and his outsized role in China’s governance, said CNN’s Beijing bureau chief Steven Jiang.
“When it comes to Chinese politics, it’s really sometimes not always about the obvious, but about the more subtle points,” he said.
Xi’s pauses, and the online attention, “points to the question about his stamina because that is very important when you have such extraordinary concentration of power in one man’s hand,” he said.
Xi at the helm of everything: Xi is also said to be “quite a micromanager,” wanting to have his “personal imprint on everything, every issue big and small,” Jiang said — which means the Chinese leader has to weigh in on a “huge queue of policy issues.”
