'The east is rising': Xi maps out China's post-Covid ascent 3 Mar, 2021 07:36 PM 7 minutes to read Chinese President Xi Jinping. Photo / AP New York Times By: Chris Buckley But as Beijing rolls out a long-term plan, its top leader has also warned that "the United States is the biggest threat." Xi Jinping has struck a confident posture as he looks to secure China's prosperity and power in a post-Covid world, saying that the country is entering a time of opportunity when "the East is rising, and the West is declining." But behind closed doors, China's Communist Party leader has also issued a blunt caveat to officials: Do not count out our competitors, above all the United States.