China Claiming to Reject Power Politics is Hypocritical Diplomacy

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The annual meeting of China's National People's Congress (NPC) has concluded. With the Trump administration very much in mind, in the government work report, Premier Li Qiang called for international cooperation in opposition to "unilateralism and protectionism." However, China is responsible for the rising tensions in Asia.

We must not be misled by its hypocritical diplomatic posturing that portrays China as the guardian of international order. Li declared that, although China had "faced many difficulties" over the past year, it had overcome them under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) with President Xi Jinping at its core.

He said that China had opposed "hegemonism and power politics." Then, he lauded it for "making important contributions to global peace and development." Meanwhile, the CCP conducted multiple military exercises off the coast of Taiwan, which he didn't mention.

Isn't it China itself that is attempting to unilaterally change the status quo in the East and South China Seas by force?

Li stressed that China remains "firmly opposed" to Taiwan independence and foreign interference in what China considers a domestic issue. Moreover, he threatened that the CCP would further strengthen "troop training and combat readiness." That was nothing more than an attempt to intimidate Taiwan and the international community.

Notably, just like in 2024, the phrase "peaceful reunification of the motherland" was absent from the work report.

Xi's Concept of a 'Strong Military'

China's defense spending has been set at ¥1.7846 trillion yuan (about ¥36.8 trillion JPY, or $248 billion USD), up 7.2% from the previous year. Even though the Chinese economy has been sputtering, Beijing continues its military expansion. The rate of increase for military spending will again outpace the CCP's target of around 5% for economic growth.

*Premier Li Qiang delivers a government work report at the opening of the National People's Congress in Beijing on the March 5. (©Kyodo)*

China has also not disclosed details of its defense budget, raising concerns among neighboring countries and regions. Therefore, it was only natural that Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi should criticize China for not being sufficiently transparent about the buildup of its military power. As he noted, "China's military developments are a matter of serious concern to our country and the international community."

In fact, Li emphasized the implementation of Xi's "concept of a strong military." We must recognize that the objective of building a stronger military is to annex Taiwan.

There are also reports that a military parade will be held in September to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. (In China, it is known as the "War of Resistance against Japan.") Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to attend.

The deception inherent in China's approach to international cooperation is clear from its alignment with Putin, who is invading Ukraine. Flowery rhetoric will not change the dangerous nature of Xi's China.

Surveillance State Mentality

Regarding domestic issues, Premier Li said, "We need to step up efforts to resolve contradictions and conflicts and manage risks." The background to this is the repeated occurrence of incidents in China involving random killings. Although Li emphasized "strengthening public safety management," might this not be used to further restrict freedom and increase the surveillance of foreigners in China?

The international community must become increasingly vigilant about developments in China.