Chinese President Xi Jinping has stressed support for the country’s vulnerable elderly and youth in a new year address that acknowledged the strains on some of the 1.4bn-strong population. Xi’s speech comes after his economic planners have for much of the past four years struggled to restore consumer confidence or address rising youth unemployment and slow wage growth.

Weeks before Trump takes office, the Chinese leader is seeking to shore up confidence that China’s economy can withstand threats.

No one can stop China's "reunification" with Taiwan, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his New Year's speech on Tuesday (Dec 31), laying down a clear warning to what Beijing regards as pro-independence forces within and outside of the island of 23 million people.