Xi Jinping "No Promise to Renounce Use of Force for Taiwan Unification"

Reaffirming Firm Stance Through Opening Ceremony Report
Economic Agenda Mentions Shared Prosperity Four Times... "Unwavering Support for Private Economy"

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Eun-mo] Chinese President Xi Jinping stated at the opening ceremony of the Party Congress marking the start of his third term that he would never promise to renounce the use of force against Taiwan, and that the unification of Taiwan "will definitely be realized."

Accordingly, there are expectations that President Xi will maintain his determination for Taiwan unification as a justification for long-term rule and strengthen related preparations, along with forecasts that the U.S.-China conflict over the Taiwan issue and military tensions in the Taiwan Strait will continue.

On the 16th, at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (Party Congress) held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, President Xi declared this hardline stance during a 1 hour and 44-minute work report delivered before 2,296 Party Congress delegates.

President Xi said, "We will uphold the utmost sincerity and efforts for the vision of peaceful unification, but we will never promise to renounce the use of force and will have options to take all necessary measures." He added, "This is aimed at external forces' interference and a very small number of Taiwan independence elements and their separatist activities, and is by no means aimed at the broad Taiwan compatriots."

He continued, "The complete reunification of the motherland will definitely be realized, and it will definitely be realized." He also declared his intention to strengthen overall national defense capabilities, emphasizing that "realistic military training will be promoted in depth."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

President Xi also mentioned "common prosperity," which emphasizes redistribution, four times, expressing his determination to promote it while simultaneously affirming unwavering support for the private economy. He said, "By fully advancing Chinese-style modernization, we must realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation," adding, "Chinese-style modernization is modernization with a huge population scale, modernization of common prosperity for all people, and modernization where material civilization and spiritual civilization harmonize."

He also mentioned the requirements for realizing Chinese-style modernization, citing "realizing common prosperity for all people" as one of them. Xi's top economic agenda, "common prosperity," aims to go beyond the practical limitations of the "theory of becoming rich first" (先富論, where some get rich first and then spread wealth) proposed during China's reform and opening up, to share the benefits of economic development with the entire population.

He reaffirmed his support for the private economy. President Xi said, "We will build a high-level socialist market economy system, uphold and improve the socialist basic economic system, firmly consolidate and develop the shared economy, and unwaveringly encourage, support, and guide the development of the non-shared (private) economy."

Along with this, President Xi reiterated the two-stage plan for the comprehensive construction of a socialist modernized power. He said, "The first stage is to basically realize socialist modernization from 2020 to 2035, and the second stage is to build our country into a prosperous, democratic, civilized, harmonious, and beautiful socialist modernized power by the middle of the 21st century." He emphasized, "The next five years is a very important period to start the comprehensive construction of a socialist modernized country."

The Party Congress, held once every five years, is the largest political event where delegates elected to represent over 96.71 million Communist Party members select about 200 new Central Committee members and alternate members, Central Discipline Inspection Commission members, and handle amendments to the Party Constitution.

When the list of the 20th Central Committee members is announced on the closing day of this Party Congress on the 22nd, President Xi's third term is expected to be virtually formalized. Then, at the first plenary session of the 20th Central Committee held the day after the closing on the 23rd, the General Secretary will be elected, and the new members of the highest leadership bodies?the Politburo Standing Committee and the Politburo?will be revealed, officially marking the start of Xi Jinping's third term in power.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.