Speaking on national television from behind a desk in a wood-paneled office, Xi largely avoided directly addressing issues confronting the country.
BEIJING — 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 and economic and political challenges at home and abroad.
China will “always steadfastly advocate for peace and development ... and unswervingly stands on the right side of history,” he said. Meanwhile, the economy is fighting its way out of the doldrums, spurring rising unemployment, while ties with the U.S. and other major nations are at historic lows. 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.