Hong Kong —
Chinese leader Xi Jinping called on his country to show “unyielding fighting spirit” in a strong speech on Monday, in which he also praised the ruling Communist Party’s decision to crack down on the Tiananmen democracy movement.
Mr Xi made the comments in a landmark speech commemorating the 100th birthday of one of his predecessors, Jiang Zemin, who was China’s leader from 1993 to 2002. Jiang Zemin passed away in 2022.
Addressing thousands of government officials and delegates at the Great Hall of the People, Xi portrayed China as a country facing tough times but emerging unscathed.
“With an indomitable fighting spirit and outstanding ability, we will proactively face big challenges, even if they are rough seas or raging storms,” he said.
“(We) will resolutely defend national sovereignty, security and development interests, thereby writing a new chapter in the twin miracles of rapid economic development and long-term social stability.”
In a sign of the importance of the speech, all seven members of China’s powerful Politburo Standing Committee and all retired party and state leaders attended, according to state television footage.
Jiang’s rise to the top began during the turmoil of the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests, which remain one of mainland China’s most sensitive political taboos and were brutally suppressed by the Chinese military.
In a 45-minute speech, Mr. Xi praised a long list of Jiang Zemin’s achievements, including a rare reference to the Tiananmen democracy movement, and praised the Communist Party’s ultimate decision to reject the protesters’ demands and use troops and tanks to clear the square.
“From the spring to the summer of 1989, China experienced serious political change, but Comrade Jiang Zemin resolutely supported and implemented the correct decisions of the Central Committee, effectively maintaining stability in Shanghai,” Xi said.
The protests first began in April and were triggered by the death of former Chinese Communist Party leader Hu Yaobang at the age of 73. Mr. Hu, seen by the public as a champion of liberalization, was ousted two years ago, and his death on April 15 was widely mourned.
Days later, thousands of grieving students marched through Beijing to pay homage to President Hu and demand a more democratic government. Protesters gathered in Tiananmen Square, and their numbers grew in the weeks before the People’s Liberation Army opened fire on June 4.
Mr. Jiang’s unexpected appointment as general secretary of the Communist Party immediately after the crackdown was partly because Mr. Jiang’s successor, Zhao Ziyang, was seen as unduly sympathetic to the protesters. By 1993 he had become China’s undisputed leader.
Jiang’s contribution to supporting the party rulers’ decision to crack down on demonstrators was also mentioned in a 12-episode documentary broadcast on state television last week to commemorate Jiang’s life, but none of the footage of the killing that shocked the world was shown. These images are regularly removed from the heavily censored Chinese internet, and discussion of what happened is still risky to this day.
During Jiang Zemin’s era, China’s economy rocketed toward the world, culminating in its entry into the World Trade Organization in 2001 with support from the United States.
After that, intense economic growth continued and relations between the United States and China improved. However, in recent years, bilateral relations have plummeted due to frequent trade frictions and escalating geopolitical conflicts.
A second meeting between Xi and US President Donald Trump is scheduled for late September, with the two leaders expected to discuss issues including trade relations, artificial intelligence and Taiwan.
In a speech broadcast and carried by state media on Monday, Xi emphasized the country’s achievements, saying that despite data showing economic growth slowing, “people’s lives continue to improve.”
“The prospects for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation are bright, and the dreams for which several generations have strived with unwavering determination are gradually becoming reality,” he added.
