Chinese president calls for the state army to become strong “steel”

Chinese President Xi Jinping has said he wants to turn the Chinese army into a strong “steel”, while giving a speech at the Popular Congress.

“We must promote the modernisation of national defence and the formation of the military, and build the army as a strong steel wall that preserves national sovereignty, security and developmental interests”, Xi has said.

This year Congress has approved a 7.2 percent increase in military spending, higher than was planned in the past.

He has also mentioned Beijing's plans for <x0-unification” with Taiwan, though he has spoken carefully.

The Chinese president has not repeated past statements that Beijing will control this island even through military force.

“We must implement a party strategy to resolve Taiwan's issue in the new era, move towards the principle of a China and the consensus of 1992, and promote a peaceful development of relations, oppose external forces intervention, and move forward the process of unifying weapons”, he said before nearly 3,000 Congress delegates.

Taiwan, an island that governs itself, was never part of China.

This country has its government since 1949, but Beijing considers Taiwan a country of 23 million people as part of its territory.

After Russia's war in Ukraine, which started on February 24, 2022, there have been concerns that even China can use military force to resolve territorial claims with Taiwan.