What Xi Jinping said at 20th CPC and how some of it is significant for India

Addressing the 20^th Communist Party Congress in Beijing on Sunday, President Xi Jinping said his country was against exclusionary groups like the Quad, and vowed to strengthen and modernise the military and underlined that China will "not renounce the use of force" to unify Taiwan with the mainland.

The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) began its weeklong meeting on Sunday. Chinese President Xi, who is also the General Secretary of the party, submitted a work report to the CPC Congress, held once in every five years.

Here are some salient points:

What Xi said: “China opposes all forms of unilateralism and the formation of blocs and exclusionary groups targeted against particular nations.”

What it means: China has been opposing the formation of the Quad comprising the US, India, Australia and Japan, besides the AUKUS— an alliance of Australia, the UK and the US, saying these groups are aimed at containing Beijing's rise.

China claims nearly all of the disputed South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. The Quad advocates the need to ensure a free, open and thriving Indo-Pacific in the backdrop of China's rising military manoeuvring in the region.

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What Xi said: "We will intensify troop training and enhance combat preparedness across the board to see that our people's armed forces can fight and win.”

What it means: The plans outlined by him acquire significance for the Indian military forces considering the frictions at the Sino-Indian border, especially in eastern Ladakh since May 2020 triggered by offensive actions by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) that had strained bilateral ties.

Though Xi did not mention a particular country when he referred to local wars and border issues, but it is clear what he means. Xi's remarks also assume significance amid China's rising military manoeuvring in the resource-rich Indo-Pacific region.

Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the South China Sea. China also has territorial disputes with Japan in the East China Sea.

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What Xi said: “China will not renounce use of force to unify Taiwan; vows to strengthen military.”

What it means: Taiwan considers itself a sovereign state but China views the self-ruled island as a breakaway province that must be reunified. Beijing has not ruled out the possible use of force to achieve national unification.

China has conducted intense military drills and fired missiles over the self-governing island following the high-profile visit of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in August, the highest American official visit to Taiwan, sparking concerns that Beijing may be preparing the ground for invasion.

Xi's pledge to complete the reunification of China, which means the merger of Taiwan with the Chinese mainland, received a prolonged round of applause from over 2,300 elected delegates attending the Congress.

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What Xi said: "China opposes protectionism, the erection of fences and barriers, decoupling, disruption of industrial and supply chains, unilateral sanctions, and maximum-pressure tactics."

What it means: A dig at the US that has sanctioned several Chinese high-tech firms including telecommunications equipment company Huawei which Beijing alleges was aimed at containing its development.

China is also one of the biggest benefactors of globalisation as it has emerged as the biggest exporter of goods to the world which propelled it to become the second largest economy in the world.

Xi said China is “committed to its fundamental national policy of opening to the outside world and pursues a mutually beneficial strategy of opening up”.

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What Xi said: “China stands firmly against all forms of hegemonism and power politics, the Cold War mentality, interference in other countries internal affairs, and double standards. China will never seek hegemony or engage in expansionism.”

What it means: Hitting out at the US that engaged in a prolonged Cold War with the USSR, still patronises countries neighbouring Russia and supports Taiwan’s claim to autonomy.

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What Xi said: We will strengthen party building across the board in the people's armed forces to ensure that they always obey the party's command.

What it means: CMC is the overall high command of China's two million-strong military. Xi is also the chairman of the CMC, besides being the General Secretary of the party and President, making him the most powerful leader of the country in modern China.

During his ten-year tenure, Xi has carried out extensive reforms re-orienting the military, retrenching three lakh troops from the army and strengthening navy and air force as China expanded its influence globally with initiatives like the multi-billion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). 

(With inputs from PTI)