China: Xi Jinping Up For Historic Third Term, Vows 'Major Struggle Against Separatism & Interference' In Taiwan

Chinese President Xi Jinping opened his five-yearly Congress speech by slamming "external forces" for interfering in Taiwan.

New Delhi: Chinese President Xi Jinping, opened his five-yearly Congress, on Sunday, for which around 2,300 hand-picked delegates have gathered. He opened his speech by slamming "external forces" for interfering in Taiwan after the recent visits by US politicians and President Joe Biden reaffirming support for Taiwan should China attack.

Beijing perceives these as attempts to change the status quo on the Taiwan strait which China has claimed to be its territory.

 Xi in his speech vowed a "major struggle against separatism and interference" in Taiwan, according to the news agency AFP.

Xi hailed Hong Kong's transition out of "chaos" and condemned what he termed as interference in Taiwan. "The situation in Hong Kong has achieved a major transition from chaos to governance," Xi said, as quoted by AFP. He vowed a "major struggle against separatism and interference" in Taiwan.

"China has achieved comprehensive control over Hong Kong, turning it from chaos to governance, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a speech on Sunday at the opening of the once-in-five-year Communist Party congress in Beijing," news agency Reuters quoted him as saying.

"China has also waged a major struggle against Taiwan separatism and is determined and able to oppose territorial integrity," the Chinese President asserted.

He said China will 'never commit to abandoning the use of force' on Taiwan, AFP reported.

Xi Defends China's COVID Policies As He Opens A Five-Yearly Congress

According to AFP, he said China "protected people's safety and health to the highest degree and achieved significant positive results in coordinating epidemic prevention and control and social and economic development".

The policy has strengthened social control over Chinese citizens, whose every move is now computer-registered, in a country already criticised internationally for human rights violations. 

While state media this week hammered home the notion that "lying flat" in the face of the virus would be "irresponsible", zero-Covid has caused widespread hardship and pulled the handbrake on China's economy, as per AFP. 

However, there are remnants of fatigue among the people of China, Valarie Tan, an analyst from the Mercator Institute for China Studies in Berlin told AFP, "You do see fatigue after close to three years of zero-Covid," she added, pointing to the discontent that is "percolating to the surface" on social media.

Meanwhile, according to Xi, the graft crackdown eliminated 'serious dangers' in Communist Party and military. He also said that China will 'actively participate' in global efforts to fight climate change.

Congress To Endorse Record Third Term For President Xi Jinping

The week-long 20th Congress of China's ruling party opened early on Sunday at the Great Hall in Tiananmen Square. It is widely expected that Xi Jinping -- who has been in power since 2012 -- will win a historic third term, cementing his place as the most powerful leader since Mao Zedong. 

In the highly choreographed, mostly closed-door conclave, the delegates will also pick members of the party's roughly 200-member Central Committee, which in turn selects the 25-person Politburo and its all-powerful Standing Committee -- the country's highest leadership body.

Xi said that China put the people first during the first Covid-19 pandemic and defended the Covid policies as he open the five-yearly plans.