President Xi Jinping told top military authority to strengthen the sense of urgency and to be prepared in battle. The Asian military and economic giant is eager to win its territorial disputes in the South China Sea and the escalating tension with the United States through the strengthened military.
A Xinhua news agency official said that the Chinese president told the top brass officers that the country is facing increasing risks and challenges and the military needs to work to secure its security and development needs.
The president said on his speech during a meeting with the officials that all military units must correctly understand major national security and development trends and strengthen their sense of unexpected hardship, crisis, and battle.
President Xi acts as the chairman of the Central Military Commission. He said that the armed forces need to plan strategies for the new era and they he encouraged them to take responsibilities in preparing and waging war.
He said that the world is facing a period of major changes never seen in a century. He noted that the country is in an important period of strategic opportunity for development. The president advised that China's forces need to respond quickly to national emergencies. He emphasized that they need to improve their joint operations capabilities and develop new types of combat forces.
The president's remarks followed its announcement on Wednesday that the country is entitled to the right to use force to achieve "reunification" with Taiwan and to prevent its independence. The speech is claimed to be the response of the country towards the United States latest Asia Reassurance Act, recently signed to be a law, which reaffirms the western country's commitment to Taiwan's security.
A Shanghai-based military expert, Ni Lexiong, said that the president's comments serve as a warning to those who plan to interfere with China's plans of reuniting with Taiwan.
The Chinese president signed his first command to enhance military training and exercise this 2019. President Xi has emphasized the importance of boosting combat readiness of the PLA since he took over office as president in late 2012. The president plans to intensify the military's goal this 2019.
The Commission issued a set of guidelines that will boost the morale of its military personnel in response to the president's remarks. The commission said that promotions of its personnel are on the basis of merits and they assured that they will practice greater leniency and understanding for mistakes made by the personnel in training.
