On the 13th, Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated his will to unify Taiwan, saying, “We resolutely oppose the interference of external forces and Taiwan independence activities (on Taiwan issues).”
In a speech at the closing ceremony of the National People’s Congress (National People’s Congress), which is equivalent to the Chinese parliament, Xi said, “Realizing the complete reunification of the motherland is the common aspiration of all Chinese children.” ‘Interference by external forces’ is interpreted as targeting the US move to allow arms sales to Taiwan and support military training amid heightened tensions in the Taiwan Strait.
President Xi continued, “We must adhere to the ‘one China’ principle and the ’92 formula,” and emphasized, “We will promote the process of national reunification without wavering.” The ’92 formula’ refers to the agreement between China and Taiwan in 1992 to recognize ‘one China’ but to use their respective names. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), who has strong anti-China tendencies, does not recognize the 92 official.
He also ordered the strengthening of national defense. Xi insisted that “the People’s Liberation Army of China should be made into an ‘iron great wall’ that effectively safeguards national sovereignty, security and development interests.”
In this speech, President Xi especially emphasized the strengthening of the CCP’s influence, saying, “If you want to govern the country, you must first govern the party.” “To build a great country, we must uphold the unified and strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee,” he said.
This made it clear that he would lead China to the center of the Communist Party in the future. Previously, at the National People’s Congress, President Xi completed the ‘one-person system’ by appointing his closest aides to key positions such as prime minister, and greatly strengthened the party’s authority through reorganization of the party and government. At the beginning of his speech, he said, “This is the third time I have taken on the noble position of president of the country,” and “a heavy responsibility resting on my shoulders.”
President Xi’s closing speech on the day was only about 1,800 words long. In 2018, when the second-term government was inaugurated, the closing speech of the National People’s Congress was about 4,800 words. Sources in Beijing analyzed that “President Xi showed confidence through a short speech,” and “Since the concentration of power has been completed around President Xi, there is no need for a long speech.”
New Prime Minister Li Chang, who is called ‘Xi Jinping’s heart’, said at his first press conference in office, “Achieving the growth target of around 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) is not an easy task.” We will move forward without wavering.”
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Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.