China will modernize military to world-class standards: Xi Jinping

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday vowed to further modernize the country's military in line with goals for the centenary of the People's Liberation Army in 2027, state media outlet Xinhua reported.

Delivering a report to the 20th National Congress in Beijing, Xi Jinping expressed the desire to quickly elevate the people's armed forces to world-class standards for building a modern socialist country.

"We will strengthen Party building across the board in the people's armed forces to ensure that they always obey the Party's command," Xi was quoted as saying by Xinhua.

The Party will improve the institutions and mechanisms for implementing the system of ultimate responsibility resting with the chairman of the Central Military Commission, he said. Xi said the communist party will strengthen Party organizations in the people's armed forces, carry out regular activities and put in place institutions to improve the military's political work.

The CCP will intensify troop training and enhance combat preparedness across the board, strengthen all-around military governance, and enhance integrated national strategies and strategic capabilities, Xi said.

At the twice-a-decade meeting of the communist party, Xi said that the country has achieved full control over Hong Kong and turned it from chaos to governance, Reuters news agency reported.

Xi said China has also waged a major struggle against Taiwan separatism and is determined and able to oppose territorial integrity. Along with the crackdown on Hong Kong, Xi Jinping also defended the military aggression against Taiwan, saying he "safeguarded" the country's "dignity and core interests" for ensuring security.

"In the face of turbulent developments in Hong Kong, the central government exercised its overall jurisdiction over the special administrative region as prescribed by China's Constitution and the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region," state media outlet Xinhua quoted Xi as saying.

On the self-governed island of Taiwan, he said, "In response to separatist activities aimed at Taiwan independence and gross provocations of external interference in Taiwan affairs, we have resolutely fought against separatism and countered interference.

"He said that China has demonstrated their resolve and ability to safeguard "China's sovereignty and to oppose "Taiwan's independence. "During his speech, Xi also defended his flagship COVID policy by saying his government put the people and their lives above all else and tenaciously pursued a zero-COVID policy.

"In responding to the sudden attack of COVID-19, we put the people and their lives above all else and tenaciously pursued a dynamic zero-COVID policy," Xinhua quoted Xi as saying.

Regional experts say that Chairman Xi Jinping will undoubtedly extend his term in power for another five years. He will either be re-elected as general secretary of the CCP or will be newly elected as chairman of the CCP, a title that has lain dormant since 1982 and was once the highest position ever held by Mao Zedong.