BEIJING — He is now officially China’s “national helmsman,’’ an accolade echoing one of the honorifics used for Mao, the “great helmsman.’’ On Tuesday, China ended a 16-day meeting of its legislature, the National People’s Congress, that took on the trappings of an extended coronation of the president, Xi Jinping.

Just days after some lawmakers shed tears of joy as they unanimously reelected Xi, he used the congress’s closing day to deliver an ardently patriotic speech warning against challenges to Chinese territorial claims, especially any move to seek independence for Taiwan.

Xi’s 38-minute address was a final flourish in a political spectacle that has emphasized his supremacy and set him on a path to possibly decades of dominance. The congress left little doubt that for years to come, Chinese politics will center on Xi and how far he can go in strengthening his rule before risking a serious setback or backlash.

“Miracles are constantly emerging across this great land of China,’’ Xi told nearly 3,000 lawmakers in the Great Hall of the People.

They applauded most warmly when he warned against challenges to China over Taiwan, Hong Kong, or other regions where Beijing’s claims to sovereignty are contested.

New York Times