Create ‘diplomatic iron army’, Xi tells Chinese envoys

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday urged Chinese ambassadors to forge a “diplomatic iron army” loyal to the Communist Party, reviving the abrasive “Wolf Warrior” rhetoric propagated by some diplomats as a sign of China’s increasingly assertive foreign policy. “Dare to become defenders of the national interest. It is necessary to… safeguard the interests of national sovereignty, security and development with a posture of readiness and a firm will to defy strong powers,” Xi told overseas envoys gathered in Beijing.