海角大神

Xi Jinping called Monday for China to play a bigger role in managing global affairs after Beijing scored a diplomatic coup as the host of talks that produced an agreement by Saudi Arabia and Iran to reopen diplomatic relations.

Mr. Xi gave no details of the ruling Communist Party鈥檚 plans in a speech to China鈥檚 ceremonial legislature. But Beijing has been increasingly assertive since he took power in 2012 and called for changes in the International Monetary Fund and other entities it says fail to reflect the desires of developing countries.

China should 鈥渁ctively participate in the reform and construction of the global governance system鈥� and promote 鈥済lobal security initiatives,鈥� said Mr. Xi, the country鈥檚 most powerful leader in decades.

That will add 鈥減ositive energy to world peace and development,鈥� Mr. Xi said.

On Friday, Mr. Xi was named to another term in the ceremonial presidency after breaking with tradition in October and awarding himself a third five-year term as general secretary of the ruling party, putting himself on track to become leader for life.

The National People鈥檚 Congress on Sunday cemented Mr. Xi鈥檚 dominance by endorsing the appointment of his loyalists as premier and other government leaders in a once-a-decade change. Mr. Xi has sidelined potential rivals and loaded the top ranks of the ruling party with his supporters.

The new premier, Li Qiang, tried Monday to reassure entrepreneurs but gave no details of possible plans to improve conditions after Mr. Xi鈥檚 government spent the past decade building up state companies that control banking, energy, steel, telecoms, and other industries.

Mr. Li鈥檚 comments echoed promises by other Chinese leaders over the past six months to support entrepreneurs who generate jobs and wealth. They have vowed to simplify regulations and taxes but have given no indication they plan to rein in state companies that entrepreneurs complain drain away their profits.

The ruling party will 鈥渢reat enterprises of all types of ownership equally鈥� and 鈥渟upport the development and growth of private enterprises,鈥� Mr. Li said.

鈥淥ur leading cadres at all levels must sincerely care about and serve private enterprises,鈥� he said.

Chinese officials earlier indicated anti-monopoly and data security crackdowns that knocked tens of billions of dollars off the stock market value of e-commerce giant Alibaba Group and other tech companies were ending. But entrepreneurs were rattled anew in February when a star banker who played a leading role in tech deals disappeared. Bao Fan鈥檚 company said he was 鈥渃ooperating in an investigation鈥� but gave no details.

Mr. Li said Beijing will make a priority of job creation as it tries to revive economic growth that sank to 3% last year, the second-lowest level in decades. This year鈥檚 official growth target is 鈥渁round 5%.鈥�

The premier expressed confidence China can cope as its workforce shrinks. The number of potential workers age 15 to 59 has fallen by more than 5% from its 2011 peak, an unusually abrupt decline for a middle-income country.

Mr. Li said that while China is losing its 鈥渄emographic dividend鈥� of young workers, better education means it is gaining a 鈥渢alent dividend.鈥� He said some 15 million people still enter the workforce every year.

鈥淎bundant human resources is still China鈥檚 outstanding advantage,鈥� he said.

Abroad, Beijing also has built on China鈥檚 growing heft as the second-largest economy to promote trade and construction initiatives that Washington, Tokyo, Moscow, and New Delhi worry will expand its strategic influence at their expanse.

Those include the multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative to construct ports, railways, and other trade-related infrastructure across an arc of countries from the South Pacific through Asia to Africa and Europe. China also is promoting trade and security initiatives.

A 鈥淕lobal Security Initiative鈥� issued in February said China is 鈥渞eady to conduct bilateral and multilateral security cooperation with all countries.鈥� It offered to help African countries resolve disputes and to set up a 鈥渘ew security framework in the Middle East.鈥�

Also last month, Beijing called for a cease-fire in Russia鈥檚 war against Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed Chinese involvement but said success would require action in addition to words. Beijing has refused to criticize President Vladimir Putin鈥檚 attack on Ukraine and has accused Western governments of provoking the invasion.

Mr. Xi鈥檚 government rattled the United States and Australia in early 2022 when it signed an agreement with the Solomon Islands that would allow Chinese navy ships and security forces to be stationed in the South Pacific nation.

The foreign minister, Qin Gang, warned Washington last week of possible 鈥渃onflict and confrontation鈥� if the U.S. doesn鈥檛 change course in relations that have been strained by conflicts over Taiwan, human rights, Hong Kong, security, and technology.

Mr. Xi called Monday for faster technology development and more self-reliance in a speech loaded with nationalistic terms. He referred eight times to 鈥渘ational rejuvenation,鈥� or restoring China to its rightful place as an economic, cultural, and political leader.

He said that before the ruling party took power in 1949, China was 鈥渞educed to a semi-colonial, semi-feudal country, subject to bullying by foreign countries.鈥�

鈥淲e have finally washed away the national humiliation, and Chinese people are the master of their own destiny,鈥� Mr. Xi said. 鈥淭he Chinese nation has stood up, become rich, and is becoming strong.鈥�

Mr. Xi also called for the country to 鈥渦nswervingly achieve鈥� the goal of 鈥渘ational reunification,鈥� a reference to Beijing鈥檚 claim that Taiwan, the self-ruled island democracy, is part of its territory and is obliged to unite with China, by force if necessary.

The president of Micronesia, a group of islands east of the Philippines, in a letter dated March 9 and obtained by The Associated Press, accused China of 鈥減olitical warfare.鈥� David Panuelo said Beijing used spying and bribes in an effort to ensure Micronesia would side with China or stay neutral in a possible conflict with Taiwan.

The Chinese foreign ministry denied the allegations.

This story was reported by The Associated Press.