China will prioritise domestic over foreign policy

Significance

President Xi Jinping in a speech commended the accomplishments of China’s leadership since he came to power over a decade ago. At a time when China faces growing economic headwinds and tensions with its primary overseas trading partners, most notably the United States, the speech was notable for its confidence in China’s diplomatic abilities.

Impacts

• Chinese diplomats will be more heavily scrutinised after the scandal surrounding former Foreign Minister and State Councillor Qin Gang.
• Perceptions of China in many countries seem to be ambivalent, and its diplomatic initiatives will struggle to achieve major success.
• China is unlikely to commit significant political resources towards solving either shorter- or longer-term global governance issues.
• Beijing's response to the Hamas war will shape its ability to pressure Tehran and efforts to obtain Israeli technology.