Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for officials to stay composed amid domestic and global challenges, signaling that Beijing will take a measured approach to the Trump administration’s new trade and investment restrictions.
Mr. Xi made these remarks to top officials, including members of the Politburo and State Council, after reviewing their work over the past year, the official Xinhua News Agency reported on February 26.
The timing of Mr. Xi’s comments coincides with US President Donald Trump taking his most sweeping actions yet against China in his second term, raising concerns that bilateral ties may soon worsen.
China “must enhance its political capabilities and calmly respond to challenges brought about by changes in the domestic and international situation,” Mr. Xi said.
In recent days, the Trump administration has ramped up pressure on China with a series of moves on trade and investment. These measures include restricting Chinese spending in US strategic sectors such as tech and energy, urging Mexico to impose its own tariffs on Chinese imports, and pushing for fees on commercial ships made in China to counter its dominance in shipbuilding.
In his latest remarks, Mr. Xi also called on top officials to maintain social stability, promote the sustained recovery of the economy, and steadily improve people’s living standards. China is trying to overcome a prolonged economic slowdown, with its strong exports facing growing pressure from trade tensions abroad.
In February, the Chinese leader met with top tech entrepreneurs to restore confidence in the private sector. Economists expect the upcoming national Parliament meeting to introduce new measures to drive consumption.