Chinese President Xi Jinping has called on the military to strengthen their readiness for war, Chinese state media reported. The announcement comes just days after Beijing staged major military exercises around Taiwan. Xi Jinping made these comments during a visit to a brigade of the Missile Force of the People’s Liberation Army. According to him, the army should “comprehensively strengthen training and preparation for war” and ensure that the troops have “strong combat skills”. He emphasized that the soldiers should “increase the preventive strategic and combat capabilities”.
China, which views Taiwan as part of its territory, has increased its shows of force around the self-ruled island in recent years.
A few days ago, Beijing deployed warplanes, drones, warships and coast guard vessels to surround Taiwan. This was the fourth large-scale exercise around the democratic island in less than two years. China’s Communist leaders have insisted they will not rule out using force to bring Taiwan under Beijing’s control. The dispute between China and Taiwan dates back to the Chinese Civil War, when Taiwanese Nationalist forces were defeated by Mao Zedong’s communist fighters and retreated to the island in 1949. Since then, China and Taiwan have been governed separately.