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Xi Takes Direct Aim at US — Mccarthy Scraps Taiwan Trip

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has issued a strong rebuke of US policy, blaming a Washington-led campaign to suppress China for the recent challenges facing his country.

In an unusually blunt speech to members of China’s top political advisory body, Xi accused Western countries, led by the US, of implementing “all-round containment, encirclement and suppression” against China, which he said had brought “unprecedentedly severe challenges” to China’s development.

Xi’s comments come as he faces charges from investors that China’s economy has been damaged by his policies, including the emphasis on national security. The remarks mark a departure for Xi, who has generally refrained from directly criticizing the US in public.

WSJ reported:

Chinese leader Xi Jinping issued an unusually blunt rebuke of U.S. policy on Monday, blaming what he termed a Washington-led campaign to suppress China for recent challenges facing his country.

“Western countries—led by the U.S.—have implemented all-round containment, encirclement and suppression against us, bringing unprecedentedly severe challenges to our country’s development,” Mr. Xi was quoted by state media as saying on Monday.

Mr. Xi’s comments marked an unusual departure for a leader who has generally refrained from directly criticizing the U.S. in public remarks—even as his decadelong leadership has demonstrated a pessimistic view of the bilateral relationship.

The accusation of U.S. suppression of China’s development over the past five years comes as Mr. Xi faces charges from investors that China’s economy has been damaged by his policies, including the emphasis on national security.

The comments were part of a speech to members of China’s top political advisory body during an annual legislative session in Beijing, according to a Chinese-language readout published by the official Xinhua News Agency.

While Mr. Xi has mentioned the U.S. in critical tones during internal speeches, such remarks have often filtered out through subordinates relaying his messages for broader audiences, within the party and beyond. In statements made in public settings or directly reported by state media, Mr. Xi has typically been more measured and vague regarding the U.S. and other Western countries, referring to them as “certain” countries rather than naming them explicitly.

Now by directly accusing the U.S. of seeking containment, a term loaded with Cold War meaning, Mr. Xi appears to be associating himself more closely with nationalist rhetoric—widely used by lower-ranking officials and state media—that attacks Washington, at a time when bilateral tensions continue to simmer over trade, technology, geopolitical influence and discordant views on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The accusations by Mr. Xi against the U.S., delivered to an audience that includes politically connected businesspeople, appeared in part to be an effort by Mr. Xi to shift blame away from his own policymaking, including tough Covid controls that have weakened the economy and pressure on technology companies that cost the industry some of its dynamism.

McCarthy to meet Taiwan’s president in US to avoid China’s ire

Taiwan’s president Tsai Ing-wen has convinced House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) to downgrade a planned trip to Taipei, and instead meet in California in order to avoid an ‘aggressive Chinese military response,’ the Financial Times reports.

According to several people familiar with the situation, Tsai and McCarthy agreed to downgrade the visit because of Taiwanese security concerns, as tensions run high between Beijing and Washington. The move is a backtrack for McCarthy, who said last summer that he would visit Taiwan if elected Speaker of the House.

The venue change comes as the US steps up contingency planning for the region — one of the world’s most dangerous flashpoints — and highlights the impact of China’s military posturing to constrain Taiwan and undermine its de facto independence.

Washington has been rife with speculation about whether McCarthy would visit Taipei. Advocates of a trip say senior US lawmakers should show support for the country in the face of rising Chinese aggression, while critics argue that high-profile visits provoke China without helping Taiwan. -FT

According to a senior Taiwanese official, McCarthy’s team was provided with “some intelligence about what the Chinese Communist party is recently up to and the kinds of threats they pose,” adding that China is “not in a good situation.”

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