Unusually, Chinese leader Xi Jinping criticized the United States with direct and public comments.

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Edited by| Tony Wild

  Politic  section -  CJ journalist

Beijing – 7 march 2023

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 Xi told a group of government advisers representing private companies during an annual legislative meeting in Beijing: "in the past five years, Western countries led by the United States have comprehensively contained and suppressed us, which has brought unprecedented serious challenges to our development," he said.

The Chinese President called on the country's private companies to "fight" alongside the Communist Party at a time of increasing challenges at home and abroad.

China's leader usually avoids attacking the United States directly in public, even as relations between Beijing and Washington have deteriorated sharply in recent years. He generally refers only to "Western countries" or "some developed countries" when making critical comments about Washington.

China’s leader Xi Jinping hit out at the United States with unusually direct comments as he called on the country’s private companies to “fight” alongside the Communist Party at a time of mounting challenges at home and abroad.

“[In the past five years,] Western countries led by the United States have contained and suppressed us in an all-round way, which has brought unprecedented severe challenges to our development,” Xi told a group of government advisers representing private businesses during an annual legislative meeting in Beijing on Monday.

China’s top leader usually avoids directly attacking the US in public even as relations between Beijing and Washington have deteriorated sharply in recent years. He generally refers only to “Western countries” or “some developed nations” when making critical comments about Washington.

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Speaking to business delegates from a top political advisory body, Xi expressed concerns about external and economic challenges facing the country, while urging Chinese people to “unite as one.”

“In the coming period, the risks and challenges we face will only increase and become more severe. Only when all of the people think in one place, work hard in one place … can we continue to win new battles,” he said, according to a readout published by the state-run Xinhua news agency. “We are in the same boat.”

Xi spoke during the annual meetings of China’s parliament and top political advisory body, together known as “Two Sessions.”

The meetings, which feature more than 5,000 delegates, will confirm Xi’s third term as president and the biggest shakeup to China’s economic leadership in a decade.

A crucial reform of the cabinet will also be unveiled during the meetings, which is expected to further strengthen Xi’s direct control of China’s government and economic system.

During his speech Monday, Xi sought to reassure the private sector which has been rattled by his statist policies in recent years calling on them to play a role in boosting growth, jobs, and tech innovation.

“The private sector is an important force for our party to govern in the long term,” Xi said. “We always regard private enterprises and private entrepreneurs as people on our own side.”

Xi urged the government to support private businesses and remove institutional barriers that restrict them from entering certain industries.

It’s also necessary to protect the property rights of private companies and entrepreneurs and treat state firms and private companies equally, so as to “boost market expectations and confidence,” he said.

“[We should] let private companies play an important role in stabilizing employment and increasing [government] income,” he said.

In particular, the government must support internet companies “to shine” on the global stage, create jobs and expand consumption, he said.

However, Xi also stressed the need to strengthen political and ideological control of private industry, saying entrepreneurs should be guided to “correctly understand” the principles and policies of the Communist Party, including his call for “common prosperity.”

Private entrepreneurs should be “patriotic” and actively participate in social welfare and charitable undertakings, he said.

“ You should be rich with love,” he added.