Chinese President Xi Jinping orders military to prepare for war

Chinese President Xi Jinping this week called on his country’s troops to strengthen their readiness for war, state media reported on Saturday, just days after Beijing conducted large-scale military exercises around Taiwan.

Xi made his remarks while visiting a brigade of the Chinese army’s missile force on Thursday, according to the state-run CCTV channel “CCTV”.
Xi said the military should” comprehensively strengthen training and preparation for war, (and) ensure that the troops have solid combat capabilities, ” the channel reported.

The soldiers should “strengthen their strategic deterrence and combat capabilities,”Xi added.
China considers the autonomous island of Taiwan an integral part of its territory, stressing its intention to regain it even by force if necessary.

Beijing on Monday deployed fighter jets, parades, warships and Coast Guard boats in a simulation of encircling Taiwan, in the context of its fourth large-scale exercises in more than two years.

Xi said on Thursday that China’s military should ” vigorously protect the country’s strategic security and fundamental interests,” according to CCTV.

The conflict between Beijing and Taipei date back to the long and bloody civil war waged by the communists led by Mao Zedong against the nationalists of the Kuomintang Party led by Chiang Kai-shek.

After their defeat at the hands of the communists who founded the people’s Republic of China on the first of October 1949, the nationalists took refuge in Taiwan, which has since had its own government, army and currency.