Chinese President Xi Jinping this week called on troops to step up their war preparedness, state media reported Saturday, just days after Beijing staged large-scale military drills around Taiwan. Xi Jinping made the comments Thursday while visiting a brigade of the army’s Rocket Force, according to state broadcaster CCTV. Xi Jinping said the military must “comprehensively strengthen training and preparation for war, (and) ensure that troops have strong combat capabilities”CCTV reported.
The soldiers must “improve their strategic deterrence and combat capabilities”added Xi Jinping. China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, has stepped up its shows of force around the self-governing island in recent years. On Monday, Beijing deployed fighter jets, drones, warships and coast guards to surround Taiwan. This is its fourth round of large-scale war maneuvers around the island in just over two years.
China’s communist leaders insist they have not ruled out using force to bring Taiwan under Beijing’s control. On Thursday, Xi Jinping again affirmed that the Chinese army must “firmly safeguard the strategic security and fundamental interests of the country”according to CCTV. China and Taiwan have been governed separately since 1949 and the flight of Chiang Kai-shek’s nationalist forces to the island, defeated by communist fighters led by Mao Tse-Tung.
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