China’s armed forces must strengthen their sense of urgency and do everything they can to prepare for battle, President Xi Jinping told at a meeting of top brass on Friday,
China is keen to beef up its armed forces amid territorial disputes in the South China Sea and escalating tension with the United States over issues ranging from trade to the status of Taiwan, reported Economic Times.
China faced increasing risks and challenges, and the armed forces must work to secure its security and development needs, Xi told.
The world is facing a period of major changes never seen in a century, and China is still in an important period of strategic opportunity for development.President Xi Jinping
Xi said that the country’s army needs to be prepared for war, devise strategies, be able to respond quickly to emergencies, upgrade their joint operations capabilities and nurture new types of combat forces, reported Economic Times.
This comes just days after US President Donald Trump signed the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act into law, reaffirming the US commitment to the island's security.
On 2 January, Xi spoke at a gathering in Beijing which marked the 40th anniversary of a landmark Beijing overture to Taipei after the US and China established relations.
“China must and will be united, which is an inevitable requirement for the historical rejuvenation of the Chinese nation in the new era,” he said. The two sides have been ruled separately since Chiang Kai-shek moved his Nationalist government across the Taiwan Strait during the Chinese civil war.
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