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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 19 december 2018

China will 'never seek hegemony,' Xi says in reform speech

By YANAN WANG alarm over what they call Throughout, Xi emphasized
BEIJING (AP) — China will China's long arm of influ- the absolute rule of the
never pursue hegemony, ence, which has been criti- Communist Party and its
President Xi Jinping said cized for being political as upholding of Chinese sov-
Tuesday as global con- well as economic. ereignty.
cerns persist over the coun- While Xi said China is "in- "No one is in a position to
try's growing economic in- creasingly approaching dictate to the Chinese
fluence. the center of the world people what should or
During a speech to mark stage," he also noted that should not be done," he
40 years of market reforms, the country pursues a de- said. "We will resolutely re-
Xi repeated China's com- fensive national defense form what can and needs
mitment to a multilateral policy. to be reformed, and we
trading system and further "China's development does will resolutely uphold what
opening of its economy. not pose a threat to any cannot and does not need
However, he did not an- country," Xi said. "No matter to be changed."
nounce any new initiatives how far China develops, it Xi's speech espoused
to counter a slowing econ- will never seek hegemony." Chinese President Xi Jinping applauds during a conference "above all else," said Julian
to commemorate the 40th anniversary of China's Reform and
omy and trade frictions Xi chronicled at length the Opening Up policy at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Gewirtz, an international
with the United States. country's recent achieve- Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2018. affairs scholar at Harvard,
The Chinese leader said ments, giving special credit Associated Press "the distinctiveness and ab-
China would not develop to former leader Deng solute correctness of Chi-
"at the expense of other Xiaoping, whose reforms Xi the architect of the chang- nized as pioneers of reform. na's path under the party's
countries' interests." said saved China from the es, in order to elevate Xi. The eclectic slate included leadership."
China's expanding foot- brink of economic collapse This time around, Xi spared NBA player Yao Ming, Alib- "This was a broad attempt
print worldwide — from following the tumultuous no praise for Deng, as he aba founder Jack Ma and to provide a really positive,
Asia-Pacific to Africa and Cultural Revolution. began by remarking on the Nobel prizewinning scientist confidence-building story
beyond through a broad Other celebrations of re- significance of 1978 — the Tu Youyou. They received of China's past 40 years
network of infrastructure form and opening up have year Deng implemented their medals to the tune of and its future," said Gewirtz,
projects called the Belt and been criticized by scholars his first reforms. "Story of Spring," a patriotic who has written a book
Road Initiative — has led for downplaying the role of During the ceremony, 100 ballad paying tribute to about China's economic
some nations to raise the Deng, widely considered individuals were recog- Deng. reforms.q