China’s Xi Vows to Oppose Taiwan ‘Pro-independence’ Influences as His Third Term Begins

By Staff, Agencies

Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed the need to oppose “pro-independence” influences in Taiwan, as he closed the National People’s Congress [NPC] after a week in which the rubber-stamp parliament handed him an unprecedented third presidential term.

Meanwhile, key roles at the top of the government were reshuffled.

Xi closed the session with a speech to the gathered delegates. On Friday he secured his place as China’s most powerful leader in generations in a carefully choreographed ceremony in Beijing.

In his speech on Monday laying out his priorities for China, Xi described the need for “national reunification” as the “essence of national rejuvenation,” casting the issue of Taiwan’s relationship with China as a focus of the new political term.

“We should actively oppose the external forces and secessionist activities of Taiwan independence. We should unswervingly advance the cause of national rejuvenation and reunification,” Xi said, to loud applause. Xi, who has previously not ruled out the use of force against Taiwan, stressed the need to “promote peaceful development of cross-strait relations”.

The Chinese Communist party has never governed Taiwan, a self-ruled democracy, but regards it as a renegade province that it must “reunify” with the mainland, by force if necessary. Xi has increasingly prioritized China’s claim to Taiwan, casting it as a historical imperative amid spiraling tensions with the US.

Xi on Monday stressed the need to bolster the military, making it a “great wall of steel” to protect China’s sovereignty and national interests.

He also called for greater economic self-reliance and the need to coordinate development and security. “Security is the foundation for development. Stability is the foundation for prosperity.”