China will not cede a
Beijing: China will not cede a «single inch» of its territory to others and is ready to wage a «bloody battle» to assume its due place in the world, a belligerent President Xi Jinping, now enjoying a life-long tenure, asserted on Tuesday.
In a 30-minute fervently nationalistic speech at the close of the National People’s Congress, the Communist nation’s rubber-stamp Parliament, Xi said «since modern times, rejuvenation of the great Chinese nation has become the biggest dream of our nation».
Though Xi made no mention of any territorial issues, the country has been involved in a number of disputes with some of its neighbours.
Besides the border dispute with India, China claims rights over the disputed islands in East China Sea under the control of Japan and vast stretches of the South China Sea where it is firmly asserting its control.
Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims over the strategic South China Sea.
Xi said China has all the capabilities to take its due place in the world.
Every year, Chinese annual parliament season ends with a press conference by the Premier. This is the first-time a president addressed its valedictory session.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang who addressed his customary annual press conference also spoke about China’s determination not to cede territory.
«China is resolute in upholding its territorial integrity and will not abandon single inch of its own land. China also pursues peaceful development and in the same vein China will not occupy an inch of land of others,» he said.
«I want to emphasise China will not seek expansion», Li said.
Xi, 64, last week altered the course of history of China after the NPC besides re-electing him for a second five-year term also ratified a constitutional amendment scrapping the two-term limit paving the way him to remain in power for life.
