Xi Jinping has struck a confident posture as he looks to secure China’s prosperity and power in a post-COVID-19 world, saying that the country is entering a time of opportunity when "the East is rising, and the West is declining.”
But behind closed doors, China’s Communist Party leader has also issued a blunt caveat to officials: Do not count out our competitors, above all the United States.
"The biggest source of chaos in the present-day world is the United States,” Xi said, a county official in northwest China recounted in a speech published last week on a government website. He quoted Xi as saying: "The United States is the biggest threat to our country’s development and security.”
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.