China’s President Xi Jinping has ordered the nation’s army to strengthen its coaching to additional improve its fight preparedness, based on a report by the state-run Xinhua company, amid heightened tensions with the US over Taiwan and the South China Sea.
“[It] should deepen actual combat training, insist on leading and promoting combat by war, strengthen research on war and combat issues, strengthen actual case-based confrontation training, strengthen emergency response specialization, strengthen front-line military combat training, and promote deep coupling of combat training to ensure that they are ready to fight at any time,” Xi instructed the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in his first order of the 12 months to the armed forces.
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The letter to the PLA dated January 4 got here amid heightened tensions with the United States over Taiwan in latest weeks.
Washington’s envoy to the United Nations held a digital speak with Taiwan’s president on Thursday after her go to to the island was scrapped in a diplomatic volte-face throughout the chaotic final days of the Trump administration.
On New Year’s Eve, two US warships sailed via the delicate Taiwan Strait, drawing protest from Beijing.
Days later, Xi would pen the order to the PLA, telling them to “carry forward the spirit of fighting without fear of hardship and fear of death.”
“The commanders and fighters of the whole army must resolutely implement the decision-making instructions of the Party Central Committee and the Central Military Commission, carry forward the spirit of fighting without fear of hardship and fear of death, correct training style, sharpen fighting will, temper excellent skills, and resolutely complete the mission and tasks assigned by the party and the people in the new era,” Xi advised the PLA.
On Thursday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stoked additional tensions after releasing an announcement chiding China over its actions within the South China Sea.
“The United States stands with Southeast Asian claimant states seeking to defend their sovereign rights and interests, consistent with international law. We will continue to act until we see Beijing cease its coercive behavior in the South China Sea,” Pompeo mentioned in a written assertion.
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Last Update: Friday, 15 January 2021 KSA 04:11 – GMT 01:11
