The Gold Coast Bulletin

Xi warns of challenges

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CHINESE President Xi Jinping trumpeted his nation’s prospects as bright but made a rare acknowledg­ment of severe economic challenges as he opened the Communist Party’s twice-a-decade national congress yesterday.

Other Chinese leaders have regularly warned since the 2008 financial crisis that China’s economic growth faces “downward pressure” due to weak global demand that threatens export industries in the world’s second-largest economy. But Xi’s comments were unusual in a keynote speech meant to highlight the party’s confidence and longrange vision.

Among the grave issues Xi said were insufficie­ntly addressed are a widening income gap and problems in employment, education, medical care and other areas. Xi has been consolidat­ing his already considerab­le hold on power and is expected to get a second five-year term as party leader at the gathering.

In his speech, he also hailed China’s island-building efforts in the disputed South China Sea as well as his signature foreign policy initiative, the “One Belt, One Road” infrastruc­ture investment project aimed at improving connection­s between China, Europe and Africa.

Most analysts say Xi has largely completed the task of sidelining his competitor­s in other cliques.

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