Chinese state media is widely circulating a new bellicose statement from President Xi Jinping made on a key Korean War anniversary for Beijing. The quote is going viral following the US presidential debate between Trump and Biden where both were asked how they would “stand up” to the China threat.
Xi is reported to have said “war must be fought to deter invasion, and violence must be met by violence” in what’s possibly his most openly jingoistic statement targeting the US to date, though without specifically referencing the United States or any external enemy in particular. But given China fought against the US side in the Korean War, the implications are clear.
It's necessary to speak to invaders in the language they know: that is, a war must be fought to deter invasion, and violence must be met by violence. Victory is needed to win peace and respect. China will never cower before threats, or be subdued by suppression: President Xi pic.twitter.com/Ay3l13YtOM
— People's Daily, China (@PDChina) October 23, 2020
According to the Global Times the statement which is also meant to show support to the Chinese PLA military is going viral through social and other media.
“It’s necessary to speak to invaders in the language they know: that is, a war must be fought to deter invasion, and violence must be met by violence,” Xi said according to the full quote.
“Victory is needed to win peace and respect. China will never cower before threats, or be subdued by suppression,” the Chinese president added.
The “patriotic” statement is now widely circulating in Chinese state publications, including the major People’s Daily. It was issued on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of China entering the Korean War to fight American troops there.
It also comes a day after the US once again went on the offensive against Chinese state-linked media, adding six more of its media organizations operating in the US to the State Department’s designated list of “foreign missions”.
Seventy years after Chinese troops entered the Korean War to fight against U.S. troops, President Xi Jinping said that China will never allow its sovereignty, security and development interests to be undermined https://t.co/nXzHWyEQMe pic.twitter.com/EyV458c3U0
— Reuters (@Reuters) October 23, 2020
Beijing is said to be preparing its own ‘retaliatory’ action. The number of Chinese outlets which must register in the US as arms of a foreign government is now at 15, as the tit-for-tat with the Trump administration rages on.
More importantly, tensions are rising sharply surrounding Taiwan, with an increase of Chinese military exercises meant to pressure Taipei into accepting Chinese sovereignty over the island. Meanwhile Washington has pledged to transfer more weapons there, which China says is a severe violation of the ‘One China’ policy status quo.
