Beijing: China is ready to ‘fight bloody battles against it’s enemies’ and take ‘its due place in the world’, said the Chinese President Xi Jinping on the concluding day of the annual session of the National’s People’s Congress – China’s parliament.
“Not a single inch of our land will be or can be ceded from China,” Xi added.
Xi also promised “rejuvenation” and warned against attempts to erode China’s unity during his speech.
This year the legislature removed term limits on the presidency, paving the way for Xi to rule for life. He was unanimously re-elected to a second term. Amid a lot of criticism, the state run Global Times in an editorial had said that the move will improve the institution of leadership.
“The Chinese people have understood since ancient times that nothing is free,” he said. “To be happy, one must fight for it.”
China fears secession by Taiwan and Hong Kong. Taiwan is a self-ruled island, which Beijing claims as its own and vows to unite it with China one day.
People in Hong Kong — a former British colony and now a special administrative region of China – resent growing interference by Beijing.
Xi’s views were echoed by Prime Minister Li Keqiang. “China is resolute in upholding its own territorial integrity and will not abandon an inch of its own land. China will not take and occupy an inch of land of others,” Li said in a press conference on the closing day of the NPC session.
Recently, Xi said that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has the capability to defeat “invading” enemies and protect the country’s sovereignty, during the Sino-India military standoff at the Donglang area near the Sikkim border.
