Chinese president Xi Jinping delivered his annual televised new year address on December 31, and commentators have been quick to share their interpretation. Some have emphasised Xi’s passing reference to Chinese reunification as a threat against Taiwan. Others have focused on Xi’s comments about China’s economy, framing them as a fearful reaction to Donald Trump’s reelection as US president.
However, these accounts miss the bigger picture. Xi’s new year address speaks to the increasing insecurity of the Chinese Communist party’s (CCP) grip on power. This insecurity is evident in how Xi’s comments, supported by the party’s control of Chinese media, attempted to gaslight the Chinese people.
The mainstay of Xi’s address concerned the economic success of China. He stressed that the Chinese economy is thriving, and explained that China’s total GDP is soon expected to surpass 130 trillion yuan (£14.3 trillion). This equates to a 4.9% increase in GDP over the course of the last 12 months.
