Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for troops to strengthen their preparedness for war, following recent deployments around Taiwan.
CCTV, a state-run media organization in China, reported that Xi made these comments while visiting the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force. He called for the Chinese military to “comprehensively strengthen” their training and their preparation for war, and spoke of them having “solid combat capabilities”.
Last Monday, the Chinese military deployed warships, coast guard vessels, fighter jets, and drones to encircle the island of Taiwan, which is autonomous but is claimed by China as part of their territory. These deployments were part of a large-scale war games exercise.
These are the fourth Chinese war games exercises to take place around Taiwan within the past two years.
While military exercises such as war games are not necessarily considered prelude to an invasion, Chinese leadership has previously made statements to the US that “China will realize reunification, and this is unstoppable.”
Xi told President Biden at a diplomatic meeting last year that he wishes to absorb Taiwan into China “peacefully, if possible.”
China and Taiwan have been split since 1949, during a civil war fought by nationalists lead by Chiang Kai-shek and communists lead by Mao Zedong. The nationalists fled to Taiwan and the island has remained functionally independent from China ever since. Taiwan is currently a democracy.
Taiwan also accounts for 20% of the world’s superconductor industry. Superconductors are used in a multitude of everyday technologies such as computers and cell phones. Many major American electronics manufacturers, such as Apple and Nvidia, obtain superconductors from Taiwan.
