Chinese leader Xi Jinping reiterated his pledge to achieve “reunification” with Taiwan on the eve of Communist China’s 75th birthday, as Beijing flexed its military might in the run-up to the national holiday.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) marked the People’s Republic of China’s 75th anniversary in a sombre ceremony as the government battled rising unemployment, economic challenges, and security threats.

For much of the past year since China reopened to the world following the Covid-19 pandemic, a pall has hung over large swathes of the country as its economy struggles to regain momentum.