World News
Xi Jinping tells troops to prepare for war, as combat drills intensify around Taiwan
China, which considers Taiwan part of its territory, has stepped up its show of power around the self-ruled island in recent years.
BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping this week called on troops to strengthen their preparations for war, state media reported today, just days after Beijing carried out large-scale military drills around Taiwan.
Xi made his remarks while visiting a brigade of the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force on Thursday, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
Xi said the military should “comprehensively strengthen training and preparations for war, (and) ensure that troops have solid combat capabilities”, state media CCTV reported.
Xi said troops should “enhance their strategic deterrence and combat capabilities.”
China, which considers Taiwan part of its territory, has stepped up its show of power around the self-ruled island in recent years.
BEIJING:
Chinese President Xi Jinping called on troops this week to strengthen their preparations for war, state media reported today, just days after Beijing carried out large-scale military drills around Taiwan.
Xi made his remarks while visiting a brigade of the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force on Thursday, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
Xi said the military should “comprehensively strengthen training and preparation for war, (and) ensure that troops have solid combat capabilities”, state media CCTV reported.
Troops should “enhance their strategic deterrence and combat capabilities,” Xi said.
China, which regards Taiwan as part of its territory, has stepped up its show of force around the self-ruled island in recent years.
On Monday, Beijing deployed fighter jets, drones, warships and coast guard ships to surround Taiwan – its fourth round of large-scale combat drills around the democratic island in less than two years.
China’s Communist leaders have insisted they will not rule out the use of force to bring Taiwan under Beijing’s control.
Xi said on Thursday that the Chinese military must “resolutely safeguard the country’s strategic security and core interests”, CCTV reported. The dispute between China and Taiwan dates back to a civil war in which Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalist forces were defeated by Mao Zedong’s Communist fighters and fled to the island in 1949. China and Taiwan have been ruled separately since then.
