The Irish Times view on China’s National People’s Congress: Xi Jinping emerges strengthened

The Chinese president was boosted during the Congress by a surprise diplomatic deal brokered by China between Saudi Arabia and Iran

An outdoor screen shows live news coverage on a street in Beijing of China's president Xi Jinping delivering a speech during the closing session of the National People's Congress. Photograph: Jade Gao/AFP
An outdoor screen shows live news coverage on a street in Beijing of China's president Xi Jinping delivering a speech during the closing session of the National People's Congress. Photograph: Jade Gao/AFP

Xi Jinping began the Two Sessions, Beijing’s annual, week-long parliamentary meetings, on the defensive as he took aim at the United States for attempting to contain, encircle and suppress China. But by the time the last of the almost 60,000 delegates left the Great Hall of the People on Monday, the Chinese leader looked stronger, both at home and abroad.

Xi’s re-election to a third term as China’s president was a foregone conclusion after he was confirmed last October in his more important position as general secretary of the Communist Party. And the shape of the new cabinet, dominated by Xi’s allies, was apparent long before a single delegate to the National People’s Congress (NPC) cast their vote.

The most significant boost to Xi’s position came not from the unanimous approval of the delegates but from China’s success in brokering an accord between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The deal, agreed during secret talks in Beijing last week, sees the restoration of diplomatic ties between the two Middle Eastern powers after seven years.

Unlike the US, which has traditionally acted as the Middle East’s power broker, China has good relations with both Riyadh and Tehran and has avoided taking sides in their conflicts. Beijing is an oil importer from both countries and all three share an interest in a multipolar global order, as opposed to one dominated by Washington.

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The accord does not mean that China will become a dominant player in the Middle East and the Saudis will retain important economic and security ties with the US, while deepening their relationship with Beijing. But Xi’s success in securing such an unexpected accord has enhanced his reputation, particularly in the Global South, and encouraged him to take on the role of peacemaker in Ukraine.

The western powers are sceptical about China’s motives in calling for a ceasefire, pointing out that Beijing has provided economic and diplomatic support to Moscow, while claiming to be neutral in the conflict. If Xi travels to Moscow next week to meet Vladimir Putin and holds separate talks with Volodomyr Zelenskiy, as reports suggest, his capacity as a peace broker will be tested.

Although Xi stressed the importance of national security, other senior figures focused on China’s economic recovery after three years of zero-Covid. The reappointment of central bank governor Yi Gang signals that maintaining economic stability will be the priority.

The new premier, Li Qiang, a close ally of Xi’s, sought to reassure private businesses after a series of crackdowns on some of China’s most successful entrepreneurs. Li told them that private enterprise is central to China’s strategy for economic development but in the anxious atmosphere of Xi’s China, it will take more than soothing words to restore confidence.