China’s 20th Party Congress To Kick Off Oct.16. At 'Crucial Moment'

Welcome to Sound of Hope News, I'm Golden Li. China's Politburo announced that the Chinese Communist Party's 20th Congress will be held in Beijing on October 16th. The Congress is held every five years and is primarily an event to determine the next group of leaders for the ruling party. It is expected that Chinese President Xi Jinping will be re-anointed for an historic third term. Premier Li Keqiang, the second-in-command, is set to retire in March. Other likely changes include leaders on foreign policy. According to the New York Times, the meeting will also be to determine the country's broad policy direction, as China faces slow economic growth at home and high tensions abroad, especially with the US. However, Xi's stances on COVID and Russia have inspired speculation that his extreme policies are vulnerable to challenge. The CCP's official mouthpiece, People's Daily, posted an infographic highlighting Xi's vision, including one of his signature pronouncements, party, government, military, people, education, in all directions, the party leads everything. After the Congress, investors from around the world will be watching for how Beijing copes with souring relations with the West. Xi's stated desire to bring Taiwan under Beijing's control will also be under scrutiny during a third term, especially after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's Taipei visit earlier this month. Taiwan's democratically elected government strongly rejects China's sovereignty claims.