In his first speech since securing his third term as China's president, Xi Jinping has urged the country to develop and modernise its military in a way that it becomes a "great wall of steel", effectively safeguarding China's national sovereignty, security, and development interests.
He emphasised the importance of security, stating that it is the foundation for development and stability.
The ruling Communist Party is expected to tighten its control over security matters, especially with the replacements of top security officials by Xi's trusted allies.
While some sources noted that Xi called for China to step up its ability to safeguard national security and manage public security, other sources highlighted his focus on modernising the military.
Xi also reiterated the need for China to achieve greater self-reliance in science and technology in light of the US cutting access to chip making equipment.