The quote in the headline comes from an hour-long speech Xi Jinping gave today in Tiananmen Square to mark the 100th anniversary of the CCP.

Mr Xi, who spoke for around an hour, reiterated the role of the party in modern China, saying that it has been central to the country’s growth and that attempts to separate it from the people would fail.

“Only socialism can save China, and only socialism with Chinese characteristics can develop China,” he said, referring to the system under which the party embraced markets to reform the economy.

He added that “we will never allow anyone to bully, oppress or subjugate China”.

“Anyone who dares try to do that will have their heads bashed bloody against the Great Wall of Steel forged by over 1.4 billion Chinese people,” he said.

He’s offering the Chinese version of red meat but of course the irony of socialist rule is that the people are often invoked but never actually consulted. Another element of the speech was Xi’s promise to “reunify” Taiwan. This is translated from the original Borg:

“Solving the Taiwan question and realising the complete reunification of the motherland are the unswerving historical tasks of the Chinese Communist Party and the common aspiration of all Chinese people,” Xi said in a speech on the 100th birthday of the ruling Communist Party.

“All sons and daughters of China, including compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, must work together and move forward in solidarity, resolutely smashing any ‘Taiwan independence’ plots.”

Taiwan released a response in Mandarin which basically amounted to a firm thanks but no thanks.

It said the party had achieved economic development in China, but added that it has clamped down on democracy, violated human rights and grown more dictatorial domestically.

“Democracy, freedom, human rights and the rule of law are core principles of Taiwanese society — a major institutional difference from the other side of the strait,” said the Mandarin-language statement, which was translated by CNBC.

The council said the Taiwanese government remains determined to defend the island’s sovereignty and democracy. It added that the Taiwanese people have long rejected the “one China principle” and urged Beijing to abandon military intimidation directed at the island.

But it’s obvious China isn’t going to take no for an answer. Xi Jinping has just publicly committed the CCP and all of China to complete reunification as a major goal at the most high profile event possible. There’s no backing down from that. I hope the Biden administration is paying close attention because the threat to bash heads is pretty clearly aimed at the United States for standing in his way.