Xi Jinping says China ‘determined to defeat invaders’ in Korean war anniversary speech
- In a fiercely nationalistic speech the president says Chinese people will not bend, no matter the challenges faced
- While not directly named, analysts say remarks were pointedly aimed at Washington as conflict’s 70th anniversary nears
01:16
Xi Jinping says ‘Chinese people will not bend’ in Korean war anniversary speech
“Seventy years ago, the imperialist invaders fired upon the doorstep of a new China,” he said. “The Chinese people understood that you must use the language that invaders can understand – to fight war with war and to stop an invasion with force, earning peace and respect through victory. The Chinese people will not create trouble but nor are we afraid of them, and no matter the difficulties or challenges we face, our legs will not shake and our backs will not bend.”
“In today’s world, any unilateralism, protectionism, and ideology of extreme self-interest are totally unworkable, and any blackmailing, blockades and extreme pressure are totally unworkable,” he said. “Any actions that focus only on oneself and any efforts to engage in hegemony and bullying will simply not work – not only will it not work, but it will be a dead end.”
02:12
China stages high-profile ceremony to welcome home remains of 117 soldiers killed in Korean war
Shi Yinhong, an international relations professor at Renmin University of China, said Xi was sending a message that China did not want a war with the US, but was not frightened of it happening.