CCP meet: An irreversible march ahead for Xi

Chinese president's address to the 20th Party Congress makes it clear China will stay the course with its assertive external policies, despite the threatening international environment

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is meeting at its 20th Congress in Beijing. On the first day, October 16, Chinese President and Party General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered the opening address, which covers in detail the political, ideological, social, economic and technological dimensions of China’s progress during the past decade and sets the agenda for the road ahead. A detailed analysis of the Congress must await its conclusion after its week-long deliberations, but broad trends are already clear.

Mr Xi intends to give a greater ideological orientation to policy making, stressing the need for inculcating Marxist-Leninist and socialist thinking among party