China-US summit

Xi Jinping Arrives In San Francisco For Talks With Biden

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in San Francisco for a China-US summit meeting and the 30th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, China’s official state news agency, Xinhua, reported.

US President Joe Biden is set to meet Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping Wednesday in the San Francisco Bay Area, CNN reported, citing senior US administration officials.

The meeting will test whether the two leaders can slow a downward spiral in relations at a moment of heavy global turbulence.

However, reportedly, the talks are not likely to soften the world’s most consequential bilateral relationship. Instead, the fact that the meeting is happening at all is viewed by White House aides as a positive sign after months of friction.

Moreover, US officials stressed that the leaders hoped to develop a “framework” for managing successful competitive relations between the two powers, with the goal of clearing up misperceptions and avoiding surprises, according to CNN.

Additionally, the US officials said that Biden’s aides were entering the summit with realistic expectations and did not anticipate a long list of outcomes later on.

As the conflict continues in West Asia and there is a war in Ukraine, Biden is eager to prevent another world crisis from exploding on his watch.

Moreover, one of his top foreign policy priorities stands for restoring stability to the Washington-Beijing relationship, even as global tensions rise, CNN reported.

The two leaders are expected to discuss various issues, including restoring military-to-military communication between the two countries, a chief objective for Biden, who plans to press Xi on the issue.

Moreover, it also includes the conflicts in Israel and Ukraine, areas of potential cooperation like climate change and countering narcotics trafficking, deep disagreements over human rights issues and military escalation in the South China Sea and around Taiwan.

According to US officials, the talks would be expansive and spread out over multiple working sessions, CNN reported.

Meanwhile, the US has pressured China to play a more constructive role in both the Israel-Hamas war and the Russia-Ukraine war and encouraged the country to step up its role on the world stage. (ANI)

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Pankaj Saran

Xi’s Absence Is Going To Be His Loss: Pankaj Saran

Former Deputy NSA and Ambassador Pankaj Saran said that the absence of China’s President from the G20 Summit, which is being held under India’s presidency in New Delhi, is “Xi Jinping’s loss”.

Chinese President Xi Jinping will not be attending the G20 Summit rather the delegation will be led by the country’s Premier Li Qiang, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced.

“So far as the Chinese case is concerned, the President should have come. I think his absence is going to be his loss, but he is sending his prime minister. So we will see,” he said. 

Notably, the G20, which represents 80 per cent of the world’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product), 75 per cent of global trade and 2/3rd of the global population, is one of the most influential forum for global governance

 “We hope that China will participate as an equal, constructive and positive participant of G20 because China’s role in the global economy is important,” he added. 

Earlier this week, Quoting foreign ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China statement read, “At the invitation of the government of the Republic of India, Premier of the State Council Li Qiang will attend the 18th G20 Summit to be held in New Delhi, India, on September 9 and 10.”

However, no reason was given in the statement about Xi’s absence from the summit.

Former Deputy NSA Saran further stressed that apart from the countries’ leaders who are not coming for G20, India should also note the presence of other countries like Mauritius, Bangladesh and a few other nations. 

“I don’t think we should read too much into the attendance, because on the one hand, you have some people not coming, but on the other hand, you have a lot of other invitees who are coming, the guests of the Indian presidency, such as Mauritius, Bangladesh and a few other countries. So it’s a balance,” he added. 

Moreover, he said that since the beginning, the Indian presidency has also said ‘One World, One Earth, One Future’, or ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, highlighting that India wants to reduce global tensions. 

“We want to bring everyone together because the world today is badly fractured. It is a tense world. The current international order is under strain, very severe strain. The global economic outlook is not good. So there are so many challenges. If this presidency and this summit can help to contribute to improving the overall atmosphere then we have done our job,” he said. 

Earlier noting that Chinese President Xi Jinping’s absence will not cast a shadow on the G20 Summit, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said there have been presidents or Prime Ministers who for some reason have chosen not to come for global meetings and that country’s position is reflected by the representative present on the occasion.

“I do not think it has anything to do with India. I. I think whatever decision they make, they would know best,” Jaishankar said. 

In August, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Xi on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit during which he highlighted India’s concerns over the unresolved issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), in Ladakh.

The two leaders agreed to direct their relevant officials “to intensify efforts at expeditious disengagement and de-escalation”. (ANI)

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Chinese President Xi Jinping

Xi To Skip G20 Summit In Delhi

Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to skip the G20 Summit to be held in India next week, sources familiar with the matter in India and China have revealed, Reuters reported.

On Xi’s behalf, Chinese Premier Li Qiang is expected to represent Beijing at the September 9-10 meeting in New Delhi, as per two Indian officials, one diplomat based in China and one official working for the government of another G20 country.

Spokespersons for the Indian and Chinese foreign ministries did not respond to requests for comment.

As per Reuters, the G20 Summit in India had been viewed as a venue at which Xi may meet with US President Joe Biden, who has confirmed his attendance, as the two superpowers seek to stabilise relations soured by a range of trade and geopolitical tensions.

Xi last met Biden on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, last November.

One senior government official from India told Reuters that “we are aware that the premier will come”, in place of Xi.

The sources in China, two of whom said they were informed by Chinese officials, said they were not aware of the reason for Xi’s expected absence, according to Reuters.

The Chinese President has made few overseas trips since China abruptly dropped its COVID restrictions. He, however, attended the BRICS Summit in South Africa last week.

Several G20 ministerial meetings in India ahead of the summit have been contentious as Russia and China together opposed joint statements which included paragraphs condemning Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine last year, as per Reuters.

Meanwhile, PM Modi had a conversation with Chinese President Xi on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in which he highlighted India’s concerns at the unresolved issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh with the two leaders agreeing to direct their relevant officials “to intensify efforts at expeditious disengagement and de-escalation”.

Addressing a press conference on India’s participation at the 15th BRICS summit, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said Prime Minister Modi had interactions with other BRICS leaders during the summit.

He said PM Modi in his conversation with the Chinese President underlined that the maintenance of peace in the border areas and observing and respecting the LAC are essential for the normalisation of the India-China ties. (ANI)

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XI mEET WITH FRANCE PRESIDENT

Xi Jinping Holds Meet With France Prez Emmanuel Macron

Chinese President Xi Jinping today held a meeting with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in Beijing, Xinhua reported. On Wednesday, Macron arrived in Beijing for a three-day visit to China at the invitation of Xi.

Taking to his official Twitter handle, Macron said that he will discuss about climate, business, bio-diversity and food security with Xi Jinping. Macron’s visit to China comes amid Europe’s efforts to find a path to peace in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
He tweeted, “I am convinced that China has a major role to play in building peace. This is what I have come to discuss, to move forward on. With President XI Jinping, we will also talk about our businesses, the climate and biodiversity, and food security.”

On April 5, Macron addressed the French community in China, the Elysee Palace said in a statement. He began by saluting the medical and nursing staff and the management of French schools and teachers for their sense of duty during the COVID-19 pandemic. In his speech, Macron spoke about the objectives of his visit to China.

French President Emmanuel Macron said that he wants to engage China in shared responsibility for peace and stability, strengthen the trade ties between France and China and reinitiate a common framework for action on major international issues such as the fight against climate change and the protection of biodiversity.

Macron recalled the importance of reviving cultural ties between France and China in 2023 to prepare for the year 2024, which will be the year of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the year of Franco-Chinese cultural tourism and the year of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between France and China., according to the Elysee Palace statement.

French President visited the RedBrick museum in Beijing to attend the opening of the 17th edition of the Festival Croisements. He noted that this festival remains the largest foreign festival in China with 15 million spectators since its creation, according to the statement.

Earlier on April 4, Emmanuel Macron held a telephonic conversation with US President Joe Biden. During the phone-call, the two leaders had spoken about Macron’s visit to China.

The White House said in a statement, “The two leaders discussed President Macron’s upcoming travel to the People’s Republic of China (PRC). They also reiterated their steadfast support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s ongoing aggression.” (ANI)

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Kerala CM Congratulates Xi Jinping

Kerala CM Congratulates Jinping For Being Re-elected As President

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday congratulated Xi Jinping on his re-election as the Chinese President. Taking to his official Twitter handle, Vijayan extended wishes to Xi “for the continued efforts to achieve prosperous China”.

The veteran Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader even took to Twitter to praise China. “Revolutionary greetings to President Xi Jinping on his re-election as the President of the People’s Republic of China. It is truly commendable that China has emerged as a prominent voice in global politics. Best wishes for the continued efforts to achieve a more prosperous China,” he tweeted.

On Friday, Xi was unanimously appointed Chinese President for the third time, making him the country’s longest-serving leader since Mao Zedong, Nikkei Asia reported.

As per the news report, thousands of delegates at the National People’s Congress (NPC)in Beijing voted on Xi’s appointment as president and head of the military for another five years. However, the process was a formality in “China’s rubber-stamp parliament” after Xi Jinping was confirmed as chief of the ruling Communist Party at a twice-a-decade congress in October, Nikkei Asia reported.

All 2,952 NPC delegates cast a ballot approving a new mandate for Xi. Previously, the National People’s Congress (NPC) had ditched term limits, clearing the way for Xi to potentially rule for life.

Delegates also voted to appoint Vice Premier Han Zheng as China’s vice president. A set of reforms, including setting up a new financial sector watchdog and national data agency, was approved at the NPC in a move that might herald tighter restrictions on key sectors of China.

Meanwhile, China’s Shanghai Party Secretary Li Qiang became the new premier on Saturday after being nominated for the post during a session of the 14th National People’s Congress, Global Times reported. Chinese President Xi Jinping nominated Li Qiang for the post of premier. He will replace Li Keqiang, who became the Chinese Premier in 2013. (ANI)

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Dalai Lama Tibet

Chinese Threat To Dalai Lama Averted

The Bihar police have detained a suspected Chinese woman in Bodh Gaya in connection with an alleged threat to Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama and are interrogating her, JS Gangwar, ADG (headquarters) confirmed to ANI.

The ADG (headquarters) said that she had been detained in connection with the alleged threat to Dalai Lama.
“Police detained the suspected (Chinese) woman in Bodh Gaya in connection with an alleged threat to Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama. She is being interrogated,” he said.

Earlier in the morning, a security alert was sounded in Bodh Gaya district where the Dalai Lama is scheduled to participate in public discourses after intelligence agencies alerted local police about a Chinese woman’s presence and suspected activities.

The security agencies released the sketch of the suspected woman and started searching for the Chinese woman in Gaya, suspected of spying on the Dalai Lama.

Gaya Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Harpreet Kaur said, “Local police have received inputs about a Chinese woman who has been living in Gaya. We were getting inputs on her for the last two years. In view of this, an alert has been given and searches are underway.”

“There is no information at present about the location of the Chinese woman. We cannot rule out suspicion of her being a Chinese spy,” SSP Kaur said.

According to inputs, the suspected Chinese spy had been living in different parts of the country including Bodh Gaya for more than one year. However, there is no record in the foreign section about the stay of the Chinese woman.

The Dalai Lama has this year resumed his annual tour to Bodh Gaya, which had been suspended for the last two years due to the Covid pandemic. (ANI)

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Covid In China

Covid In China: Protests Erupt In Jinping’s Alma Mater Tsinghua Univ

In defiance of China’s zero-Covid policy, hundreds of students on Sunday protested at President Xi Jinping’s alma mater, Tsinghua University here.

“Protests have spread to Xi Jinping’s alma mater Tsinghua, where a student said: If we don’t speak up due to the fear of the [dark regime], I think our people will be disappointed. As a Tsinghua student, I’d regret this for the rest of my life. The crowd called out don’t be scared!” tweeted Linda Lew, a Bloomberg reporter.
Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Shanghai, where people were being bundled into police cars. Students have also demonstrated at universities in Beijing and Nanjing.

Hundreds of students from Beijing’s Tsinghua University rallied at their campus on Sunday.

“Tsinghua university right now the city after city seeing protests small and large against Zero Covid policies and against excesses of Communist Party rule – every hour there seems to be a new one,” tweeted Emily Feng, she posted a clip from Weibo, a China microblogging website.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people gathered in downtown Shanghai on Sunday afternoon to hold what appeared to be a silent protest near where a demonstration against China’s zero-Covid policy erupted in the early hours.

Demonstrators holding blank pieces of paper and white flowers stood silently at several intersections, the person said under condition of anonymity, before police officers eventually moved to clear the blocked roads.

Protests in China against heavy COVID-19 curbs spread to Shanghai on Sunday, with demonstrators also gathering at one of Beijing’s most prestigious universities after a deadly fire in the country’s far west sparked widespread anger, reported Reuters.

The latest unrest follows a protest in the remote north-west city of Urumqi, where lockdown rules were blamed after 10 people died in a tower block fire.

China is battling a surge in infections that has prompted lockdowns and other restrictions in cities across the country as Beijing adheres to a zero-Covid-19 policy even as much of the world tries to coexist with the coronavirus.

A fire on Thursday that killed 10 people in a high-rise building in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang region, has sparked widespread public anger. Many Internet users surmised that residents could not escape in time because the building was partially locked down, which city officials denied.

In Shanghai, China’s most populous city and financial hub, residents gathered on Saturday night at the city’s Wulumuqi Road – which borrows its name from Urumqi – for a vigil that turned into a protest in the early hours of Sunday.

“Lift lockdown for Urumqi, lift lockdown for Xinjiang, lift lockdown for all of China!” the crowds in Shanghai shouted, according to a video circulated on social media.

At one point a large group began shouting, “Down with the Chinese Communist Party, down with Xi Jinping, free Urumqi!”, according to witnesses and videos, in a rare public protest against the Chinese leadership.

China defends President Xi Jinping’s signature zero-Covid-19 policy as life-saving and necessary to prevent overwhelming the healthcare system.

Officials have vowed to continue with it despite the growing public pushback and its mounting toll on the world’s second-biggest economy.

Videos from Shanghai widely shared on Chinese social media showed crowds facing dozens of police and calling out chants including: “Serve the people”, “We don’t want health codes” and “We want freedom,” reported The Straits Times.

Some social media users posted screenshots of street signs for Wulumuqi Road, both to evade censors and show support for protesters in Shanghai. Others shared comments or posts calling for all of “you brave young people” to be careful. Many included advice on what to do if police came or started arresting people during a protest or vigil.

Shanghai’s 25 million people were put under lockdown for two months earlier this year, an ordeal that provoked anger and protest.

Chinese authorities have since then sought to be more targeted in their Covid-19 curbs.

But that effort has been challenged by a surge in infections as China faces its first winter with the highly transmissible Omicron variant. (ANI)

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Xi Jinping Discussion At G20

Trudeau-Xi Jinping Heated Discussion At G20 Caught On Camera

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had a heated exchange of words during their conversation on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali on Wednesday with the Chinese leader complaining about the media reporting about their communication, according to a video of the meeting posted by a Canada-based journalist.

In the video, Xi is heard expressing his displeasure about talks between China and Canada being leaked to the Canadian Press. The two leaders had earlier met on Tuesday on the sidelines of the summit.
“The Cdn Pool cam captured a tough talk between Chinese President Xi & PM Trudeau at the G20 today. In it, Xi expressed his displeasure that everything discussed yesterday “has been leaked to the paper(s), that’s not appropriate… & that’s not the way the conversation was conducted,” Annie Bergeron-Oliver from the Canadian press CTV National News said in a tweet.

She posted the video along with her tweet.

Speaking through an interpreter, Xi said, “Everything we decided has been leaked to the papers that’s not appropriate… and that’s not the way the conversation was conducted if there is sincerity on your part…”

The Canadian Prime Minister is heard stating that there was free, open, and frank dialogue and that there will be things the two countries disagree on.

“We will continue to help…work constructively together but there will be many things we will disagree on,” Trudeau said.

The video ends with Xi Jinping saying “let’s create the conditions first”.

The two leaders shook hands after the brief conversation.

Trudeau had raised “serious concerns” over alleged Chinese interference in Canada in brief talks with Xi on the sidelines of this week’s Group of 20 (G20) meeting in Indonesia.

The Canadian Prime Minister’s office said in a readout on Tuesday that the two leaders discussed North Korea and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while Trudeau “also raised our serious concerns around interference activities in Canada”.

Last week, Canadian media outlet Global News reported that Canadian intelligence officials had warned Trudeau that China was “targeting Canada with a vast campaign of foreign interference, ” including meddling in the country’s 2019 elections.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) on Monday arrested a man in the province of Quebec for espionage, accusing 35-year-old Yuesheng Wang of obtaining trade secrets to benefit the Chinese government.

The China-Canada relationship has been frosty for several years, especially after Canadian authorities detained Huawei Technologies executive Meng Wanzhou in 2018 on a United States arrest warrant. China then arrested two Canadians on spying charges.

While the standoff ended when all three people were released last year, relations have remained sour over several points of contention, including human rights and trade.

In their talks on Tuesday, Trudeau and Xi “discussed the importance of continued dialogue”, the readout from Trudeau’s office said.

The two leaders last met in June 2019 on the sidelines of another G20 in Osaka, Japan. They met three other times previously, once in 2015 on the sidelines of the G20 in Turkey, and twice during official visits in Beijing in 2016 and 2017. (ANI)

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Modi meet Xi Jinping

First handshake Since Galwan: Modi, Xi Meet At G20

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday met Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 dinner hosted by Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Bali, Indonesia.

Both the leaders exchanged pleasantries at the high-profile dinner.
Notably, this is the first handshake since China’s Peoples Liberation Army and the Indian Army’s standoff in eastern Ladakh in April 2020.

The relations between India and China soured following a standoff in April-May 2020 over the transgressions by the Chinese Army in multiple areas including the Finger Area, Galwan Valley, Hot Springs, and Kongrung Nala. The situation worsened after violent clashes with Chinese troops in Galwan Valley in June.

In June 2020, the two armies were engaged in a violent clash that resulted in the death of 20 Indian soldiers and at least three Chinese troops.

PM Modi and Xi exchanged greetings at the G20 dinner.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for improving connectivity at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit held in Uzbekistan’s Samarkand, he maintained a safe distance from Xi Jinping.

PM Modi and President Jinping shared the world stage for the first time after clashes in the Galwan Valley. The tension along the Indo-China border was evident from the distance that the two leaders maintained from each other at the summit.

Moreover, PM Modi also met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the G20 dinner. He will be holding bilateral meetings with leaders of Indonesia, Spain, France, Singapore, Germany, Italy, Australia and the UK.

He is expected to hold bilateral talks with at least 8-9 world leaders on Wednesday.

Earlier, PM Modi and US President Joe Biden expressed satisfaction about the close cooperation between India and US in new groupings such as the Quad, and I2U2 and reviewed the India-US strategic partnership on the margins of the G20 Summit in Bali on Tuesday.

Both sides discussed close cooperation in future-oriented sectors like critical and emerging technologies, advanced computing, and artificial intelligence, an official statement by Prime Minister’s office read.

Furthermore, PM Modi also welcomed support for India’s G20 Presidency and expressed views on focus areas of the G20.

PM Modi also met with his Netherlands counterpart Mark Rutte during the ongoing G20 Summit in Bali, calling it an excellent interaction.

“Excellent interaction with @MinPres Mark Rutte during the @g20org Summit,” PM Modi wrote on Twitter.

He also met the President of Senegal, Macky Sall, and exchanged views on boosting India-Senegal ties. Moreover, PM Modi also interacted with the managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, and Indian-American economist Gita Gopinath, the IMF’s Deputy managing director.

“Insightful deliberations with President @Macky Sall on boosting India- Senegal ties and deepening cooperation with Africa. @PR Senegal” tweeted PM Modi.

PM Narendra Modi also met his UK counterpart Rishi Sunak and French President Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of the G20 summit.

“With my friend President @EmmanuelMacron during the @g20org Summit earlier today,” the Prime Minister tweeted.

WHO Chief and Prime Minister Narendra Modi also briefly interacted on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Bali.

Sharing a picture of his meeting with PM Modi on Twitter, WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “Thank you #India Prime Minister @narendramodi for your collaboration with @WHO on hosting and building the global traditional health centre. Together for #HealthForAll!”

The 17th edition of the G20 Summit will focus on key global concern issues under the theme ‘Recover Together, Recover Stronger.’ (ANI)

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Xi Jinping Elected Chinese President For 3rd Term

Shehbaz Meets Chinese Prez Xi In Beijing

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, becoming the first head of state to visit China since Xi’s re-election for the third time.

This is also Sharif’s first visit to China since assuming office in April this year and follows his meeting with Xi in Uzbekistan in September.
“During his maiden 2-days visit to China, PM Shehbaz Sharif and President Xi Jinping met at the People’s Great Hall of China to discuss broad-based cooperation in economy and investment and exchanged views on regional and global developments,” tweeted Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

Sharif is heading a high-level delegation, including Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. He is also scheduled to hold delegation-level talks with Premier Li Keqiang to review the All-Weather Strategic Cooperation Partnership between China and Pakistan.

Ahead of his visit Sharif in an opinion piece for Chinese media outlet Global Times on October 30 said: “I would be soon in Beijing on my first bilateral visit after assuming office, and that too at an opportune time, soon after the successful conclusion of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.”

“For Pakistan, relations with China form the cornerstone of our foreign policy; in China, Pakistan is described as Ba Tie i.e. China’s Iron Brother, and elsewhere our ties are appreciated for their unique strength, enduring permanence, and unfathomable trust,” he wrote.

Before leaving for China, Sharif said that his discussions with Chinese leadership will focus on the revitalization of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor among many other things.

“My discussions with Chinese leadership will focus on the revitalization of CPEC among many other things. 2nd phase of CPEC promises to usher in a new era of socio-economic progress that will uplift the quality of our people’s lives. There is a lot to learn from the Chinese economic miracle,” Sharif tweeted.

CPEC’s next phase of high-quality development will encompass key areas such as industry, energy, agriculture, ICT, rail and road network, and developing Gwadar Port as a hub of trade and transshipment, investment, and regional connectivity.

Meanwhile, China raised the issue of the safety and security of Chinese personnel and projects in Pakistan ahead of Sharif’s visit.

Xi Jinping was elected General Secretary of the Chinese communist party for the third time in the recently held 20th Congress of the Chinese Communist Party where he was elected as the general secretary and head of the pary for the next five years. (ANI)

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