President Xi vows to build strong China

Beijing [China], Mar 20 (ANI): Chinese President Xi Jinping has vowed to build a strong China, while saying that the country was ready to take up "its due place in the world".

Speaking at the closure of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC), which went on for 15 days, President Xi said, "The rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has become the biggest dream of the Chinese people. We are resolved to fight the bloody battle against our enemies, with a strong determination to take our place in the world."

The Chinese leader underscored on China's historic achievements, such as the invention of paper, the founding of Confucianism, building of the Great Wall of China and the country's experience of invasion "from outside and defending the national independence and freedom."

He also heaped praises on the Chinese military forces, saying that they were the 'stepping stones' in building a strong China, CNN reported.

Stressing on the importance of the military, President Xi added, "We should make sure the Communist Party has ultimate leadership over the military and in a new era continue to strengthen, and the military with science and technology and rule-based governance."

Coming down hard on supporters for formal independence for Hong Kong and Taiwan, he asserted that "not a single inch of the land" would be separated from China.

"We should safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country and achieve full unification of the motherland," the Chinese President said, adding 'unification' was the "the aspiration of all Chinese people."

Taiwan has been self-governed since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949 when the defeated nationalist government fled to the island country. Beijing considers Taiwan as a breakaway province and can be retaken by force if necessary.

Both Taiwan and Hong Kong are under the Chinese government's constitutional principle - one country, two systems, which guarantees the two regions to have its own governmental system, legal, economic and financial affairs, including trade relations with foreign countries.

This comes after President Xi was re-elected as the country's president and also the chairman of Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China on Saturday, making way for his second term in the office. Also, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang was re-elected to the post for the second time.

On March 11, the rubber-stamp Chinese legislature passed a historic constitutional amendment formally removing term limits to enable President Xi to stay on as the Chinese president beyond 2023.

It gave a near-unanimous approval to the sweeping changes, with 2,958 votes in favour, and only two votes against, according to South China Morning Post. This revision was the biggest change to the Chinese constitution after 36 years.

The two-term limit on the presidency was introduced by former Chinese President Deng Xiaoping in 1982.

In addition to removing the term limits, the new constitution also paved the way for the establishment of a new anti-graft super agency in China, called the National Supervisory Commission. It also included President Xi's socialist thought in the Chinese Constitution.

The 64-year-old leader would have had to give up the presidency after the end of his second term in 2023, but he would now push his vision of making China a global powerhouse with a "world-class" military. (ANI)