BEIJING   -   Chi­na is confronting “difficul­ties and challenges” to its re­covery, Beijing’s leadership said, according to state media Tuesday, as the world’s sec­ond-largest economy charts an uneven rebound from the pandemic. The annual closed-door meeting of Beijing’s top decision-makers -- the Central Economic Work Conference -- comes as China’s economy battles headwinds on multi­ple fronts. “China still has to overcome some difficulties and challenges to further re­vive the economy,” top leaders, including President Xi Jinping, noted at the meeting, state news agency Xinhua report­ed. At the Monday to Tuesday meeting, top officials “decid­ed priorities for the econom­ic work in 2024” and Xi gave a speech, Xinhua said.