In the face of growing tensions with the United States, China's president has called for greater self-reliance and the strengthening of the country's military.

According to the state-run Xinhua news agency, Xi Jinping told the 14th National People's Congress that Beijing should apply the new development philosophy on all fronts and accelerate efforts to establish a new pattern of development.

During his speech, Xi called for the complete implementation of the strategy for revitalizing China through science and education, the workforce development strategy, and the innovation-driven development strategy.

“To open up new areas and new arenas in development and foster new growth drivers and new strengths in face of fierce international competition, China should ultimately rely on scientific and technological innovation,” Xi said, according to a media readout.

The Great Wall of steel 

After thanking nearly 3,000 delegates for his re-election as president, the longest-serving Chinese president pledged to “build the military into a great wall of steel that effectively safeguards national sovereignty, security, and our development interests”.

He also vowed to pursue “development and security”, stressing that “safety is the foundation of development, and stability is the prerequisite for prosperity”.

“We should firmly push forward high-quality development,” Xi said. “We should strive for the effective improvement in the quality of the economy and the reasonable growth in its quantity.”

Regarding developments with Taiwan, Xi said he would try to resolve the problem, but warned to "resolutely oppose external interference and Taiwan independence separatist activities".

“With the founding of the Communist Party of China . . . and after a century of struggle, our national humiliation has been erased, and the Chinese people have become the masters of their own destiny,” Xi told delegates. “The Chinese nation’s great revival is on an irreversible path.”

During the 14th National People's Congress, Xi was re-elected as president of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and head of the PRC's Central Military Commission.

The Chinese president first took office in March 2013, and he was re-elected for a second five-year tenure in 2018.

Since his election, China has lifted over 100 million people out of poverty, primarily from its rural populace. In recent years, he has stated that reunifying China and Taiwan is a top concern for his administration.