China wants to play a bigger role on the global stage – that’s what the country’s President Xi Jinping said in connection with the end of the Communist Party’s annual People’s Congress today. China must arm itself militarily and build “a wall of steel,” Xi said in the speech, which was loaded with nationalist rhetoric about rebuilding the country’s greatness. The Chinese leadership has recently made several overtures, which marked a willingness to play a new role in international diplomacy. In February, China proposed a ceasefire in Ukraine, a proposal dismissed by many in the West, given China’s failure to condemn Russia’s war of aggression. In the past few days, it was announced that the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs had made enemies Iran and Saudi Arabia resume diplomatic relations, which had been frozen for seven years. China has also taken the initiative to mediate peace in other states in the Middle East, and in Africa. Military rearmament According to the AP news agency, Xi used the words “national renewal” eight times, explaining that it is about restoring China to its rightful place as an economic, cultural and political leader in the world. China is the world’s fifth largest arms importer, according to a report today from the peace research institute Sipri, which also notes that the country has built up a domestic arms industry in recent years. And at the People’s Congress, President Xi Jinping emphasized that military armor is a priority in the next five-year plan: – We must fully promote the modernization of the national defense and the armed forces, and build the people’s army into a wall of steel that effectively protects national sovereignty, security and our development interests. Xi wants to reclaim Taiwan The Chinese leadership considers democratic Taiwan part of China and has vowed to one day take control of it, by force if necessary. That message was reiterated by the Chinese president today: – Realizing the complete reunification of the motherland is the common aspiration of the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation and is the core of our national renewal. New prime minister appeared At the People’s Congress, several of Xi Jingping’s close allies appeared, who have taken a place in China’s top echelon, when the president outmaneuvered all challengers within the party. One of them was newly appointed Premier Li Qiang, who held his first press conference. He said the focus now is to increase the country’s growth, which has taken a beating during the pandemic and its global repercussions. But he also pointed a finger at the United States, which he believes oppresses China: – China and the United States should cooperate, must cooperate. When China and the US work together, we can achieve a lot. Trying to limit and suppress is not to anyone’s advantage.
t4-general
Xi Jinping wants to arm himself militarily – and build a wall
