Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Sunday called for faster military development and announced no change in policies that have strained relations with Washington and tightened the ruling.
(Newser)
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Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Sunday called for faster military development and announced no change in policies that have strained relations with Washington and tightened the ruling Communist Party’s control over society and the economy. China’s most influential figure in decades spoke as the party opened a congress that was closely watched by companies, governments, and the public for signs of official direction, per the AP. It comes amid a painful slump in the world’s second-largest economy and tension with Washington and Asian neighbors over trade, technology, and security.
“The next five years will be crucial,” Xi said in a televised speech of one hour and 45 minutes to some 2,000 delegates in the cavernous Great Hall of the People.
