Create 'diplomatic iron army', Xi Jinping tells Chinese envoys

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday (Dec 29) appealed to a conference of Chinese ambassadors to make a "diplomatic iron army" which is loyal to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). In what is being seen as China's renewed intent to revive the "Wolf Warrior" rhetoric amid the country'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," said President Xi to Chinese envoys gathered at the work conference for overseas envoysin Beijing.

Xi's assertive remarks are being considered to be similar to the confrontational stance taken by Chinese diplomats since the year 2020, though the tone softened somewhat in later years as China sought to attract investment for its weakened economy.

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During his speech, Xi Jinping also urged Chinese envoys to follow party discipline. And as he made his point clear, he used the word 'strict' seven times.

Xi's address to the ambassadors came after the Central Foreign Affairs Work Conference. The secretive high-level foreign policy planning meeting of the Communist Party takes place once every five years. The conference 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.

'Rules and discipline'

The Chinese president's remarks have followed a strict disciplinary push in the Chinese diplomatic corps that came after China's previous foreign minister Qin Gang's removal from his post in July. At the time of his removal, he had served for only seven months amid rumours 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 defence... and be an astute person with firm political beliefs who strictly complies with rules and discipline," he further said.

Xi also underlined the need for China to increase its international influence

"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.

(With inputs from agencies)