Xi Jinping urges confidence in China’s economy amid ‘uncertainties’

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Lauren Taylor Anchor/Producer

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor/Producer), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)

During his New Year address, Chinese President Xi Jinping called on his country to remain confident in the world’s second-largest economy. Meanwhile, he also warned of “uncertainties in the external environment” just weeks ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.

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“The current economic operation now faces some new conditions, including challenges of uncertainties in the external environment and pressure of transformation from old growth drivers into new ones,” Xi said. “We must be confident.”

After winning re-election, Trump said he would impose tariffs on imported goods from China, Mexico and Canada on his first day in office.

Then, last month, Trump invited Xi and other world leaders to attend his inauguration on Jan. 20. Members of both parties scrutinized the invitation.

Trump’s incoming White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, responded, saying: “This is an example of President Trump creating an open dialogue with leaders of countries that are not just our allies but our adversaries and our competitors, too.”

Xi is not expected to attend the inauguration, according to CBS News.

When Trump was asked about Xi not attending during a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago home last month, he said:

“I don’t know that he won’t be at the inauguration. I mean, I haven’t really spoken to him about it, I don’t know that actually. If he’d like to come, I’d like to have him but there’s been nothing much discussed. I have had discussions with him, letters, etc., etc., at a very high level. You know, we had a very good relationship until COVID. COVID didn’t end the relationship, but it was a bridge too far for me.”

During his address, Xi also talked about China’s “reunification” with Taiwan as China ramps up its military presence around the island nation.

On Thursday, Jan. 2, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry reported that China conducted its first combat patrol near Taiwan with warplanes and warships.

Tags: China, Donald Trump, Taiwan, Xi Jinping

DURING HIS NEW YEAR ADDRESS, CHINESE PRESIDENT XI JINPING CALLED ON HIS COUNTRY TO REMAIN CONFIDENT IN THE WORLD’S SECOND LARGEST ECONOMY, WHILE ALSO WARNING OF “UNCERTAINTIES” JUST WEEKS AHEAD OF PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP’S INAUGURATION.

CHINA’S ECONOMY IS STRUGGLING, IMPACTED BY WEAK CONSUMPTION AND A REAL ESTATE CRISIS.

“THE CURRENT ECONOMIC OPERATION NOW FACES SOME NEW CONDITIONS, INCLUDING CHALLENGES OF UNCERTAINTIES IN THE EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT AND PRESSURE OF TRANSFORMATION FROM OLD GROWTH DRIVERS INTO NEW ONES,” PRESIDENT XI SAID.

“WE MUST BE CONFIDENT,” HE ADDED.

AFTER WINNING RE-ELECTION, TRUMP SAID HE WOULD IMPOSE TARIFFS ON IMPORTED GOODS FROM CHINA, MEXICO AND CANADA ON HIS FIRST DAY IN OFFICE.

THEN, LAST MONTH, TRUMP INVITED XI AND OTHER WORLD LEADERS TO ATTEND HIS SWEARING-IN CEREMONY ON JANUARY 20TH.

THE INVITATION WAS SCRUTINIZED BY MEMBERS OF BOTH PARTIES.

TRUMP’S INCOMING WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY KAROLINE LEAVITT RESPONDED, SAYING:

“THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF PRESIDENT TRUMP CREATING AN OPEN DIALOGUE WITH LEADERS OF COUNTRIES THAT ARE NOT JUST OUR ALLIES BUT OUR ADVERSARIES AND OUR COMPETITORS, TOO.”

XI IS NOT EXPECTED TO ATTEND, ACCORDING TO CBS NEWS.

WHEN TRUMP WAS ASKED ABOUT XI NOT ATTENDING HIS INAUGURATION DURING A NEWS CONFERENCE AT HIS MAR-A-LAGO HOME LAST MONTH.

“I DON’T KNOW THAT HE WON’T BE AT THE INAUGURATION. I MEAN, I HAVEN’T REALLY SPOKEN TO HIM ABOUT IT. I DON’T KNOW THAT ACTUALLY. I WOULD SAY THAT IF HE’D LIKE TO COME, I’D LIKE TO HAVE HIM BUT THERE’S BEEN NOTHING MUCH DISCUSSED. I HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH HIM, LETTERS ETCETERA, ETCETERA AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL. YOU KNOW, WE HAD A VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIP UNTIL COVID. COVID DIDN’T END THE RELATIONSHIP, BUT IT WAS A BRIDGE TOO FAR FOR ME.”

DURING HIS ADDRESS, PRESIDENT XI ALSO TALKED ABOUT CHINA REUNIFYING WITH TAIWAN AS CHINA RAMPS UP ITS MILITARY PRESENCE AROUND THE ISLAND.

ON THURSDAY, TAIWAN’S DEFENSE MINISTRY REPORTED THAT CHINA CONDUCTED ITS FIRST COMBAT PATROL NEAR TAIWAN WITH WARPLANES AND WARSHIPS.