Chinese President Xi Jinping calls for stronger army at congress

President Xi Jinping urged China's annual parliament to step up the process of reform, including reform of China's national defence forces, as the number of arrests for separatist actions rose by more than 13 per cent last year.

Mr Xi, is president and general secretary of the ruling Communist Party as well as chairman of the Central Military Commission. He made the remarks at a plenary meeting of the People's Liberation Army delegation at the annual gathering in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

There was a further allusion to Mr Xi’s policy of the “Four Comprehensives”, which include comprehensively building a moderately prosperous society, deepening reform, advancing the rule of law, and strictly governing the Communist Party.

This sort of stirring political slogan is a mainstay in the Chinese communist lexicon – founding father Mao Zedong was particularly fond of them, including his call to "smash the four Olds" – Old Customs, Old Culture, Old Habits and Old Ideas.

Mr Xi's predecessor, Hu Jintao, launched the "Scientific Theory on Development", while Jiang Zemin had his "Three Represents".

Terror charges

Chief justice Zhou Qiang said the judiciary convicted more than 700 people on terror and secessionist charges last year.

"We will actively participate in the fight against terrorism and secessionism, severely punish violent terrorist crimes according to the law, and severely punish all types of crimes that gravely endanger the people's safety," Mr Qiang, head of the Supreme People's Court, said during his work report to the National People's Congress.

The Supreme People’s Court report says 712 people were sentenced last year for instigating secessionist activities or participating in violent terrorist attacks, a 13.3 per cent increase on 2013. Those convicted were involved in 558 cases, up 14.8 per cent.

The party secretary in Xinjiang, Zhang Chunxian, said some Uighurs from the region were fleeing overseas to join Islamic State.

Meanwhile, another top legal institution, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, also delivered its work report. This included a pledge to continue cracking down on religious cults, as well as other crimes involving firearms, explosives and human trafficking.

China has seen a significant increase in the number of violent attacks in restive regions such as Xinjiang province, and has launched an anti-terrorism crackdown to quell the attacks.

A year ago, 29 people were killed and 140 injured when eight knife-wielding attackers went on the rampage at the main train station in the southwestern city of Kunming, in Yunnan province.

Weeks later, a suicide bombing killed at least 39 people at a market in Xinjiang’s capital, Urumqi.

Scores of Uighurs have been jailed and many executed for terror activities. In September the high-profile Uighur scholar Ilham Tohti was sentenced to life imprisonment for separatism and fuelling ethnic tensions.

The country's top political adviser, Yu Zhengsheng, told parliament: "Political advisers must unwaveringly uphold the party's leadership, strengthen confidence in socialism with Chinese characteristics, and build consensus among the public in order to bring together 'positive energy' for the implementation of the . . . Four Comprehensives."