Xi Jinping. Reuters file

Beijing, March 20

China will not cede a “single inch” of its territory to others and is ready to wage a “bloody battle” to assume its due place in the world, a belligerent President Xi Jinping, now enjoying a life-long tenure, asserted on Tuesday.In a 30-minute fervently nationalistic speech at the close of the National People’s Congress, the Communist nation’s rubber-stamp Parliament, Xi said, “Since modern times, rejuvenation of the great Chinese nation has become the biggest dream of our nation.”“The Chinese people and the Chinese nation have a shared conviction that is not a single inch of our land will be and can be ceded from China,” Xi said, addressing the closing session of the NPC, the first by a President in recent years.Though Xi made no mention of any territorial issues, the country has been involved in a number of disputes with its neighbours.Besides the border dispute with India, China claims rights over the disputed islands in East China Sea under the control of Japan and vast stretches of the South China Sea where it is firmly asserting its control.Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counter-claims over the strategic South China Sea. Xi said China has the capability to take its due place in the world. — PTI

Discusses ties with Modi over phone

• PM Narendra Modi on Tuesday congratulated Chinese President Xi Jinping over phone on his re-election
• The two leaders discussed efforts by both countries to enhance high-level exchanges and deepen bilateral cooperation
• Modi is perhaps the first foreign leader to have spoken to Xi as the Chinese President began his second term
• The two held a telephonic conversation at Modi’s invitation, a day after he congratulated Xi on Chinese social media