Nationalist fervour ratcheted up in lead up to China's communist party congress

Chinese authorities are ratcheting up nationalistic sentiment in the run up to a key meeting of the country's ruling party where party leader Xi Jinping is expected to gain an unprecedented third term. In recent weeks, state media has amplified the patriotic themes of "Struggle" and "Red heritage" while warning of internal and external threats ahead of the Chinese Communist party's most important political meeting. Exhibitions have been held at many "Red heritage" sites across the country, telling the story of how the Communist party fought and won the civil war in the 1940s. In the Museum of the Communist party of China, large portraits of Xi that harked back to images of Mao as a supreme leader featured prominently. In the latest issue of the Communist party journal Qiushi, Xi stressed the need to "Struggle" and bolster the "Combat capability" of the party through leadership in politics and ideology. The article is part of a speech Xi made to the last party congress in 2017, republished on the 1 October National Day. Analysts say it has set the tone for the upcoming party congress and indicates a continuation of Xi's current political line.