Chinese President Xi Jinping addressed his nation Tuesday morning in Beijing to commemorate the 40th anniversary of China's "reform and opening up," striking a relatively defiant tone to international calls for major changes in his country's economy.

His remarks are being watched to see whether Xi's idea of progress aligns with the West's increasingly vocal demands for less state control. That could have significant consequences for whether the U.S. reaches a trade deal with China by the end of its 90-day tariff ceasefire.

"No one is in a position to dictate to the Chinese people what should or should not be done," Xi said in Mandarin Chinese during the address, according to a translation.

He called for China to "stay the course" on its current path of reform.