BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday urged Chinese ambassadors to forge a “diplomatic iron army” loyal to the Communist Party, reviving the abrasive “Wolf Warrior” rhetoric propagated by some diplomats as a sign of China’s increasingly assertive foreign policy.
“Dare to be good at struggle and to become defenders of the national interest. It is necessary to... resolutely safeguard the interests of national sovereignty, security and development with a posture of readiness and a firm will to defy strong powers,” Xi told Chinese overseas envoys gathered in Beijing, state broadcaster CCTV reported.
His remarks harked back to a more brash, confrontational style of rhetoric adopted by Chinese diplomats since 2020, which had been less prominent this year as China sought to attract foreign investment for its weakened economy.
Ties with the United States thawed briefly after Xi met US President Joe Biden in November, but China is also currently engaged in diplomatic disputes with the Philippines over a contested reef in the South China Sea, as well as Japan over its discharge of nuclear-contaminated wastewater from its wrecked Fukushima reactor.
Xi also urged envoys to adhere to Party discipline, repeating the word “strict” seven times in an annual keynote speech after the Central Foreign Affairs Work Conference, a secretive high-level Communist Party foreign policy planning meeting that takes place once every five years, concluded on Thursday.
“It is necessary to put rules and discipline in front, strictly discipline oneself, take strict responsibility... and create a diplomatic iron army that is loyal to the Party... dares to and is good at struggle, and observes strict discipline,” Xi said during the envoys’ conference at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People.
Xi’s remarks come amid a renewed disciplinary push among China’s diplomatic corps after the previous foreign minister, Qin Gang, was removed from his post in July, having served only seven months in the role amid rumors of an affair.
“Loyalty to the Party, the country and the people is the glorious tradition of the diplomatic front,” said Xi.
“It is necessary to build a strong line of ideological defense... and be an astute person with firm political beliefs who strictly complies with rules and discipline.”
Xi also emphasised the need for China to increase its international influence to combat what he believes are the West’s attempts to contain and suppress China, repeating the word “struggle” five times.
“We must make broad and deep friendships, and the fight to win people’s hearts must not only be carried out in temples but deeply among the masses. We must use foreign language and methods to tell the China story well,” said Xi, echoing a June 2021 speech in which he urged officials to create a “trustworthy, lovable and respectable” image of China.
At the Central Foreign Affairs Work Conference, Xi also lashed out against the West’s “bullying” and “hegemony,” urging diplomats and officials to “carry forward our fighting spirit.”
Xi urges Chinese envoys to create ‘diplomatic iron army’
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Xi urges Chinese envoys to create ‘diplomatic iron army’
- His remarks harked back to a more brash, confrontational style of rhetoric adopted by Chinese diplomats since 2020
- Xi set out his new policy at a conference during which he lashed out against the West’s “bullying” and “hegemony”e
EU should consider forming combined military force: defense chief
- Kubilius floated creating a “powerful, standing ‘European military force’ of 100,000 troops” that could eventually replace US forces
- Trump has heightened fears among NATO allies over Washington’s reliability by insisting he wants to take over Greenland
BRUSSELS: EU countries should weigh whether to set up a combined military force that could eventually replace US troops in Europe, the bloc’s defense chief said Sunday.
EU defense commissioner Andrius Kubilius floated creating a “powerful, standing ‘European military force’ of 100,000 troops” as a possible option to better protect the continent.
“How will we replace the 100,000-strong American standing military force, which is the back-bone military force in Europe?” he asked in a speech in Sweden.
The suggestion comes as US President Donald Trump has heightened fears among NATO allies over Washington’s reliability by insisting he wants to take over Greenland.
Worries over Trump’s commitment to Europe have already spurred countries to step up efforts to bolster their militaries in the face of the threat posed by Russia.
Ideas about establishing a central European army have floated around for years but have largely failed to gain traction as nations are wary of relinquishing control over their militaries.
The US has pushed its European allies to increasingly take over responsibility for their own security, and raised the prospect it could shift forces from Europe to focus on China.
“In such times, we should not run away from the most pressing questions on our institutional defense readiness,” said Kubilius, a former Lithuanian prime minister.
In his speech Kubilius also advocated for the creation of a “European Security Council” of key powers — including potentially Britain — that could help the continent take decisions over its own defense quicker.
“The European Security Council could be composed of key permanent members, along with several rotational members,” he said.
“In total around 10-12 members, with the task to discuss the most important issues in defense.”
He said the first focus of such a body should be trying to change the dynamics in the war in Ukraine to ensure that Kyiv does not end up losing.
“We need to have a clear answer — how is the EU going to change that scenario?,” he said.
“This is the reason why we need to have a European Security Council now!“
