Tough language from Xi Jinping belies his anxiety

China’s all-out struggle to crush covid-19 is now over, but its leaders still see a world fraught with peril. During the annual session of the country’s parliament, which began on March 5th, Chinese officials have been airing their worries. President Xi Jinping pointed his finger at America, accusing it of leading Western countries in a campaign of “all-out containment, encirclement and suppression” against China. The outgoing prime minister, Li Keqiang, said such threats were escalating. He set an unexpectedly cautious target for China’s economic growth this year. Their message is clear: China’s post-covid reopening to the world could be a bumpy one.