Chinese President Xi Jinping praises military branch central to keeping up pressure on Taiwan
- Xi lauds PLA Eastern Theatre Command for ‘significant contributions’ in safeguarding China’s territorial sovereignty
- Visit to headquarters comes ahead of presidential elections in Taiwan, where the front runner has pledged to ‘support the cross-strait status quo’
“It is imperative for us to deepen planning on war and combat, upgrade the joint system of theatre commands, focus on actual combat training, and improve our ability to win any war,” Xi said during an inspection tour of the command headquarters in Nanjing on Thursday.
He also praised the command’s “significant contributions” in safeguarding China’s territorial sovereignty, maritime rights and interests, and national unity, state news agency Xinhua reported.
“The world has entered a new period of turmoil and change, and our country’s security situation has become increasingly unstable and uncertain. It is necessary to keep in mind our mission and tasks at all times, stay focused in solving problems, enhance the sense of urgency, and go all out in fulfilling the main combat functions of the theatre,” Xi was quoted as saying.
In an opinion piece for The Wall Street Journal earlier this week, he said he had no plans to declare independence for the self-ruled island if he were to be elected in January.
Beijing views Taiwan as a breakaway province awaiting reunification – by force if necessary – with no right to official exchanges with other governments.
Most countries, including the US, do not see Taiwan as an independent state, but are opposed to change of status quo by force.
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China’s military simulates precision strikes on Taiwan after island’s leader returns from US visit
This followed days of unprecedented large-scale drills around the island in August, after McCarthy’s predecessor Nancy Pelosi met Tsai in Taipei – a trip condemned by Beijing as a serious challenge to its sovereignty over Taiwan.
