Xi Jinping, China's president, said on Tuesday that Beijing won’t be told what to do, in a veiled jab at US demands amid the ongoing trade war.

“No-one is in a position to dictate to the Chinese people what should or should not be done,” Mr Xi said in a highly anticipated speech to mark 40 years since landmark economic reforms.

Speaking at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, he said a country the size of China – 1.4 billion people with a $13 trillion economy – can only grow by paving its own way.

The president also addressed warnings over China's growing power, suggesting Beijing should not seek to dominate the world order.

“China’s development does not pose a threat to any country,” he said. “No matter how far China develops, it will never seek hegemony.”