China’s Xi Jinping hails progress in integrating Hong Kong and Macau in speech ahead of Lunar New Year

As he did in previous years, Xi mentioned Hong Kong and Macau, as well as Taiwan, in his speech.

“We have actively supported the better integration of Hong Kong and Macau into the overall development of the country,” Xi said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (centre) attends the Spring Festival gathering hosted by Premier Li Qiang (seated fourth from right) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Thursday. Photo: Xinhua

On Taiwan, he said Beijing had “strongly opposed separatist acts of Taiwan independence and interference by foreign forces, and resolutely defended the country’s sovereignty, security and development interests”.

William Lai Ching-te of Taiwan’s independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party was elected the island’s president last month, angering Beijing.

Beijing regards Taiwan as part of its territory, to be reunified with the mainland by force if necessary. Most countries, including the United States, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington opposes any attempt to take the self-ruled island by force and is committed to supplying it with weapons.

In his speech, Xi described the international environment as “extraordinarily complicated”, but he praised China’s diplomacy in 2023, saying it had “brought certainty and positive energy to a world of change and chaos”.

Domestically, he said the task of reform, development and maintaining stability in 2023 was “difficult and heavy”.

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He said a “good political ecology” had been consolidated over the past year by deepening the struggle against corruption.

Xi also said Beijing had “resolutely implemented” a shift in Covid-19 control measures and promoted “economic recovery and development”.

China lifted most of its Covid-19 restrictions in late 2022 and reopened its borders in early 2023. But its recovery lacked momentum as the economy was weighed down by a sluggish stock and property market and massive local debt.

Looking ahead to 2024, Xi said Beijing would “strengthen economic vitality, prevent and reduce risks, and enhance public expectations, so as to consolidate and strengthen the trend of economic recovery and improvement”.

South China Morning Post