China

China’s Xi Hails Nation's Tech Progress and Renews Pledge to Take Taiwan

Xi's address praised the country’s advancements in military tech and space exploration, with images of humanoid robots performing kung fu to new hydropower projects.

Associated Press

Jan 1, 2026 — 2 min read

Photo of residents usng their smartphones to film a large screen at a shopping mall showing CCTV broadcasting Chinese President Xi Jinping delivering his 2026 New Year message, in Beijing, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, by Andy Wong/AP

BEIJING, January 1, 2026 (AP) — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday hailed his country’s technological progress in areas such as artificial intelligence and semiconductors while once again insisting his country would annex self-ruled Taiwan.

During his New Year’s Eve address broadcast Wednesday evening by state media, Xi praised the country’s advancements in key sectors including military tech and space exploration. Images ranging from humanoid robots performing kung fu to new hydropower projects rolled on the screen as he spoke.

“We sought to energize high-quality development through innovation,” Xi said while thanking Chinese people for contributing to the country’s economic growth over the past five years.