Xi Jinping asks Chinese forces to focus on preparing for wars amid tension in Asia-Pacific

Amid growing tension in the Asia-Pacific region for the past month, Chinese President Xi Jinping has directed the country's Armed Forces to shift their focus on preparation for wars. He made these remarks while addressing a conference on national defence and military reform in Beijing on Wednesday, September 21. According to reports, high-ranking representatives of the People's Armed Police Force, the Central Military Commission (CMC) of China, and military academies were present at the conference.

"It is imperative to conscientiously summarize and apply successful experience in reforms, to master new situations and understand the requirements of the tasks, to focus on preparing for wars, and to have the courage to explore and innovate," Jinping stated at the conference, as per Xinhua news agency. He also emphasised the importance of making better use of past successes in the transformation of the Armed Forces and national security, as well as the pursuit of new opportunities for enhancing the military through reforms.

Jinping calls for assessment of past reforms & focus on combat readiness

According to Jinping, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the CMC have relentlessly and thoroughly carried out the strategy of bolstering the Armed Forces through reforms since the Party's 18th National Congress in 2012. Speaking at the conference, the Chinese President further stated that long-standing systemic drawbacks, structural inconsistencies, and policy concerns have been resolved, which were creating hindrances in the growth of national defence and the Armed Forces. Further, Jinping also called for genuine assessment and application of successful experience in past reforms, awareness of the current environment and tasks, and a concentration on combat readiness.

Notably, Jinping's recent remarks came days after US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) claimed that the Chinese President wants his Armed Forces to be capable enough of capturing Taiwan by 2027. The CIA official also went on to say that the agency still hopes China would resort to a "peaceful reunification" with the island nation. It should be mentioned here that the relations between China and Taiwan reached a new low after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Tapei on August 2. 

Image: AP