China "stands on the right side of history," the country's leader Xi Jinping said Saturday in a New Year's address that came as questions swirl over his government's handling of COVID-19 and economic and political challenges at home and abroad.
Speaking on national television from behind a desk in a wood-paneled office, Xi largely avoided directly addressing issues confronting the country, pointing instead to successes in agricultural production, poverty elimination and its hosting of the Winter Olympics in February.
However, he later turned somewhat obliquely to the challenges facing the world's most populous country and second-largest economy, saying, "The world is not at peace."
China will "always steadfastly advocate for peace and development ... and unswervingly stands on the right side of history," he said.
Recent weeks have seen street protests against Xi's government, the first facing the ruling Communist Party in more than three decades.
Xi's speech follows a stunning U-turn on China's hard-line COVID-19 containment policy that has sparked a massive surge in infections and demands from the U.S. and others for travelers from China to prove they aren't infected.
Meanwhile, the economy is fighting its way out of the doldrums, spurring rising unemployment, while ties with the U.S. and other major nations are at historic lows.
Setting aside their uncertainty, people in Beijing and other cities have returned to work, shopping areas and restaurants, with consumers preparing for January's Lunar New Year holiday, the most significant in the Chinese calendar.
Xi, who is also head of the increasingly powerful armed forces, was in October given a third five-year term as head of the almost 97 million-member Communist Party.
Having sidelined potential rivals and eliminated all limits on his terms in office, he could potentially serve as China's leader for the rest of his life.
China has also come under pressure for its continued support for Russia, and on Friday, Xi held a virtual meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which he was quoted as describing the events in Ukraine as a "crisis."
The term marked a departure from China's usual references to the "Ukraine situation," and the change may reflect growing Chinese concern about the direction of the conflict.
Still, in his remarks to Putin, Xi was careful to reiterate Chinese support for Moscow. China has pledged a "no limits" friendship with Russia and hasn't blamed Putin for the conflict, while attacking the U.S. and NATO and condemning punishing economic sanctions imposed on Russia.
Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm Wednesday night, causing widespread destruction and immobilizing critical infrastructure. The extent of the damage is not yet known.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says that while his party backed a Bloc Quebecois motion seeking money to boost seniors' benefits, he thinks there are 'other ways' to address affordability for older Canadians.
Several models of Fisher-Price infant swings have been recalled in Canada after the company received reports of fatalities link to affected products.
Ethel Kennedy, the wife of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy who raised their 11 children after he was assassinated and remained dedicated to social causes and the family鈥檚 legacy for decades thereafter, died on Thursday, her family said. She was 96.
Police north of Toronto have released video of what they鈥檙e describing as a violent, targeted robbery in Thornhill, where suspects boxed in the victim鈥檚 car and made off with a suitcase filled with cash.
Air Canada pilots have given a green light to a tentative agreement with the airline, easing any fears of a future strike.
One of the B.C. Conservative candidates running in the province's second-largest city has apologized for "completely unacceptable" comments he made about Muslims and Palestinians.
Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard is abandoning his bid to appeal his 2022 sexual assault conviction before Canada's top court.
The parliamentary budget officer says his updated report on the federal carbon price is largely consistent with his earlier findings, even after adjusting for a previous error.
Police north of Toronto have released video of what they鈥檙e describing as a violent, targeted robbery in Thornhill, where suspects boxed in the victim鈥檚 car and made off with a suitcase filled with cash.
Several models of Fisher-Price infant swings have been recalled in Canada after the company received reports of fatalities link to affected products.
One of the B.C. Conservative candidates running in the province's second-largest city has apologized for "completely unacceptable" comments he made about Muslims and Palestinians.
The superintendent of the Winnipeg School Division (WSD) has apologized over a message displayed during a professional development day on Wednesday.
Halloween is right around the corner, but residents of a South Kanata community say they've been living in what feels like a horror movie for over a month.
Jennifer Johnson, Lacombe-Ponoka legislature member, has been welcomed back into the United Conservative Party (UCP).
Ethel Kennedy, the wife of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy who raised their 11 children after he was assassinated and remained dedicated to social causes and the family鈥檚 legacy for decades thereafter, died on Thursday, her family said. She was 96.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris visits Nevada and Arizona while former U.S. president Donald Trump talks economic issues in Michigan, as presidential campaigning continues even with Hurricane Milton hitting Florida.
Gunmen invaded another town north of Haiti鈥檚 capital on Thursday, shooting at people and setting homes on fire, just a week after a massacre killed at least 115 people in the country鈥檚 central region. The number of casualties was not immediately known.
The hosts of ABC's 'The View' clapped back at Donald Trump on Thursday, a day after the Republican nominee for president insulted co-hosts Sunny Hostin and Whoopi Goldberg.
As U.S. officials struggle to push back against misinformation about natural disasters hitting the country, at least three congressional Republicans condemned conspiracy theories repeated by fellow members of their party.
Fay Manners and Michelle Dvorak were perched high on the snowy face of a Himalayan mountain when disaster struck their quest to become the first to summit its peak.
The parliamentary budget officer says his updated report on the federal carbon price is largely consistent with his earlier findings, even after adjusting for a previous error.
Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet and MPs from several other parties were on Parliament Hill Thursday to call for the Senate to pass a Bloc bill on supply management.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says that while his party backed a Bloc Quebecois motion seeking money to boost seniors' benefits, he thinks there are 'other ways' to address affordability for older Canadians.
Twin brothers who were born conjoined recently celebrated their first birthday after undergoing successful separation surgery.
For Scarlett Hicks, everyday life is challenging, as the two-year-old lives with a long list of medical conditions.
COVID-19 could be a powerful risk factor for heart attacks and strokes for as long as three years after an infection, a large new study suggests.
Expectations are high for the long-awaited unveiling of Tesla's robotaxi at a Hollywood studio Thursday night. Too high for some analysts and investors.
As if the largest bug to ever live 鈥 a monster nearly nine feet long with as many as 64 legs 鈥 wasn鈥檛 terrifying enough, scientists could only just imagine what the extinct beast鈥檚 head looked like.
A severe solar storm is headed to Earth that could stress power grids even more as the U.S. deals with major back-to-back hurricanes, space weather forecasters said Wednesday.
Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard is abandoning his bid to appeal his 2022 sexual assault conviction before Canada's top court.
The Nobel Prize in literature was awarded Thursday to South Korean author Han Kang for what the Nobel committee called 'her intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life.'
Taylor Swift has made a significant donation toward helping those affected by hurricanes Milton and Helene.
Air Canada pilots have given a green light to a tentative agreement with the airline, easing any fears of a future strike.
The World Trade Organization raised its outlook for global goods trade this year slightly, but cautioned Thursday that increasing geopolitical tensions and uncertainty over economy policy pose 'substantial' risks to its forecast.
A West Vancouver company has been ordered to repay a homebuyer's $1-million deposit after it failed to complete construction on the property in time.
As a parent, you want your child to spread their wings and fly, not crash down to reality when they first enter the job market.
Jeff Warner from Aidie Creek Gardens in the northern Ontario community of Englehart has a passion for growing big pumpkins and his effort is paying off in more ways than one.
Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.
Strong winds from Hurricane Milton caused extensive damage to the roof of St. Petersburg's Tropicana Field, home of the MLB's Tampa Bay Rays.
Rafael Nadal is retiring from professional tennis at age 38, he announced in a video message Thursday, after winning 22 Grand Slam titles 鈥 14 at the French Open 鈥 during an unprecedented era he shared with rivals Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
The Calgary Flames were already preaching the importance of resilience a single game into the NHL season.
Dozens of cars were pulled out of the Detroit River in west Windsor on Tuesday, causing many questions for Windsorites.
Hundreds of thousands of vehicles are being recalled in Canada due to a steering-related issue that could increase a driver's risk of crash.
Mercedes-Benz has partnered up with the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN) and the provincial government to launch a new 鈥渋ncubator program鈥. One of the first three locations is Windsor, with the other two going to Toronto and Kitchener-Waterloo.
Jeff Warner from Aidie Creek Gardens in the northern Ontario community of Englehart has a passion for growing big pumpkins and his effort is paying off in more ways than one.
Saskatchewan鈥檚 Jessica Campbell has made hockey history, becoming the first ever female assistant coach in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Have you ever seen videos of hovercrafts online or on TV and thought, 'Wow, I wish I could ride one of those.' One Alberta man did, and then built his own.
A B.C. couple is getting desperate 鈥 and creative 鈥 in their search for their missing dog.
Videos of a meteor streaking across the skies of southern Ontario have surfaced and small bits of the outer space rock may have made it to land, one astronomy professor says.
A unique form of clouds made an appearance over the skies of Ottawa on Sunday evening.
Bernie Hicks, known as the 鈥楤atman of Amherst,鈥 always wanted to sit in a Batmobile until a kind stranger made it happen.
Bubi鈥檚 Awesome Eats, located on University Ave West took to social media to announce the closure on Friday.
Weeneebayko Area Health Authority and the Government of Ontario have awarded a $1.8 billion fixed-price contract to design, build and finance a new Far North hospital.
One of the B.C. Conservative candidates running in the province's second-largest city has apologized for "completely unacceptable" comments he made about Muslims and Palestinians.
Prison officials in British Columbia say guards at a medium-security prison in the Fraser Valley seized a package containing hundreds of grams of methamphetamine and other contraband over the weekend.
Mounties are issuing a warning to personal watercraft owners after a wave of thefts were reported at marinas in Metro Vancouver.
Police north of Toronto have released video of what they鈥檙e describing as a violent, targeted robbery in Thornhill, where suspects boxed in the victim鈥檚 car and made off with a suitcase filled with cash.
Here is a look at what鈥檚 open, what鈥檚 closed, and what鈥檚 on in the GTA during Thanksgiving weekend 2024:
Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard is abandoning his bid to appeal his 2022 sexual assault conviction before Canada's top court.
Calgary commuters can expect delays at 9th Avenue and 1st Street S.E. over several days.
10 things happening in Calgary this weekend.
As a parent, you want your child to spread their wings and fly, not crash down to reality when they first enter the job market.
Former Ottawa resident Angelina Armstrong-Mann says it was clear when Hurricane Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm in Florida Wednesday night鈥攕he heard it.
The transit service conducted a fare compliance blitz between September 3 and 30, with 12 fare inspectors "active across the transit network, enforcing fare regulations," OC Transpo said.
The union representing professors and librarians at the University of Ottawa (uOttawa) says 70 per cent of its members have signed a petition asking the administration to take proposals to improve education and research into consideration.
The City of Montreal's French-language committee wants a French-language office established to promote and increase the use of the language in the metropolis.
Although he acknowledges that there is still a lot of work to be done in mental health, Social Services Minister Lionel Carmant is confident that he has succeeded in reversing the trend.
An Edmonton daycare has been shut down after failing to address concerns about unsupervised children, the province said Thursday.
A controversial casino has been approved for south Edmonton.
Crashes caused the closure of two streets in Edmonton on Thursday morning.
Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida as a Category 3 storm Wednesday night, among those assessing the damage in its aftermath is former CTV Atlantic employee and Maritimer Eric Bungay.
Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm Wednesday night, causing widespread destruction and immobilizing critical infrastructure. The extent of the damage is not yet known.
Lunenberg District RCMP are seeking information about a robbery near Pine Grove, N.S.
The superintendent of the Winnipeg School Division (WSD) has apologized over a message displayed during a professional development day on Wednesday.
A woman is speaking out after an assault on a Winnipeg Transit bus sent her and her daughter to the hospital.
More doctors are practicing in Manitoba, but a physician advocacy group says it鈥檚 still not enough.
Saskatchewan RCMP say a larger police presence in Whitewood is related to a report of robbery with a firearm on Wednesday evening.
At the final meeting of this iteration of Regina City Council, a plan for how to pay for a new indoor aquatic facility that would replace Lawson Aquatic Centre was approved.
After nearly four decades, Howland's Honey is retiring from the Regina Farmers' Market and strictly selling its products in retail stores.
Ontario Provincial Police have arrested a Waterloo man who they believe is linked to a group that has been scamming victims across Canada.
Jane Goodall, a world-renowned expert in primate research and conservation of the species, visited Kitchener, Ont. on Wednesday.
It鈥檚 expected to be a busy weekend in Waterloo Region as Thanksgiving festivities get underway, which means some businesses, services and organizations may be closed or operating at a reduced schedule.
Internal emails obtained by 麻豆影视 reveal that Saskatoon mayoral hopeful Gord Wyant had an apparent close relationship with a private school now embroiled in abuse allegations.
The Saskatchewan RCMP is responding to a report of an armed carjacking in Red Pheasant First Nation.
Milton is shaping up to be a monster of a storm, expected to strike Florida as a Category 3 hurricane, just weeks after Hurricane Helene hit the region.
An Ontario man said he feels 'devastated' after learning his identity was stolen to take out two fraudulent loans under his name.
Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm Wednesday night, causing widespread destruction and immobilizing critical infrastructure. The extent of the damage is not yet known.
Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard is abandoning his bid to appeal his 2022 sexual assault conviction before Canada's top court.
The Humane Society of London & Middlesex (HSLM) has reached its fundraising goal for the new Old Oak Animal Campus. Located at 1414 Dundas St. construction continues on the building and remains on track for an opening in early 2025.
The advisory was issued as a result of water sample results that indicated the presence of bacteria. While resampling is scheduled, the advisory is issued as a precaution.
Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm Wednesday night, causing widespread destruction and immobilizing critical infrastructure. The extent of the damage is not yet known.
Provincial police say seven people are facing charges after a massive grow operation bust outside Orillia, Ont., where over $2 million in cannabis plants were seized.
After months of controversy, protests and petitions, Barrie city councillors have scraped plans for a multi-purpose field along the waterfront in favour of a new plan to revitalize the downtown.
Provincial police are investigating reports of an armed robbery in Amaranth Township that sent one person to the hospital in critical condition.
Essex County officers are asking for the public's help following a hit-and-run collision in Lakeshore.
A team 14 staff members from Entegrus are on their way to Florida to assist in the restoration of power to thousands of customers affected by hurricanes Hele and Milton.
Windsor police officers are asking for the public鈥檚 help identifying a suspect who caused almost $3,000 in damage to a parked vehicle.
One of the B.C. Conservative candidates running in the province's second-largest city has apologized for "completely unacceptable" comments he made about Muslims and Palestinians.
Prison officials in British Columbia say guards at a medium-security prison in the Fraser Valley seized a package containing hundreds of grams of methamphetamine and other contraband over the weekend.
The 2024 B.C. election officially kicks off Thursday morning as advance voting locations open their doors.
Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.
A U.S. District Court judge in Montana has sentenced a 27-year-old man from Kelowna, B.C., to 18 months in prison for using fake names to buy guns with the aim of selling them in Canada.
Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.
Thousands more Lethbridge residents will soon be without a family doctor.
Alberta's police watchdog says the Medicine Hat police officers who were involved in an in-custody death in August 2023 acted reasonably and with appropriate force in dealing with a suspect armed with a machete.
Charges have been laid against a 44-year-old man following a traffic stop in Brocket, Piikani Nation RCMP said Tuesday.
Sault Ste. Marie Police Service says there is a 'significant' presence in the 100 block of Chapple Avenue for an active crime scene Thursday.
An annual international mining conference is underway in Greater Sudbury, Ont., marking the first time the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Conference of Mining Regions and Cities has been held in North America.
Jeff Warner from Aidie Creek Gardens in the northern Ontario community of Englehart has a passion for growing big pumpkins and his effort is paying off in more ways than one.
A Conservative MP from Newfoundland and Labrador says some small towns in his rural riding are overrun with crime, but police say they haven't received reports to that effect.
As millions in federal funding flow into a Labrador group whose claims of Inuit identity have been rejected by Indigenous organizations across Canada, a national Inuit leader worries the Liberal government is putting the rights of Indigenous Peoples at risk.
He may not have logged the fastest time or even gone the full distance, but residents of a Newfoundland town agree the goat who unexpectedly joined the local weekend half marathon was the event's undisputed champion.
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