The People’s Liberation Army must boost combat readiness, Chinese President Xi Jinping told its Eastern Theatre Command, the branch central to keeping up cross-strait pressure on Taiwan, while praising its efforts in “safeguarding China’s sovereignty”.
“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.
The Eastern Theatre Command carries out regular combat readiness drills in the Taiwan Strait area. Photo: Weibo
The Eastern Theatre Command is tasked with exercising control in the Taiwan Strait and carries out regular combat readiness drills in the area. It has played a central role in multiple rounds of live-fire drills encircling Taiwan since August, launched in reaction to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s meetings with senior US officials.
