Xi Jinping urges Chinese military to train for ‘real combat’

In full tension with Taiwan, Chinese President Xi Jinping has encouraged the army training for “real combat”days after trying a siege of the autonomous island.

The army mustto defend territorial sovereignty with determinationly China’s maritime interests and strive to protect peripheral stability in general,” Xi said during a visit to a naval base in the south, though without explicitly mentioning Taiwan, according to remarks broadcast by CCTV on Wednesday.

Xi Jinping also called on the military to “strengthen the current combat-oriented military training.”

The president made the remarks on Tuesday after the Chinese military hold three days of military exercises around Taiwanin which he tried a siege of the island of self-government and democratic.

The dispute with Taiwan

Beijing considers Taiwan vlike a province which he has not yet managed to incorporate into his territory and does not give up taking it even by force if necessary.

China and Taiwan they have been divided since the communists won the civil war in 1949 on the mainland, which forced the Kuomintang nationalists to take refuge on the island.

Beijing’s foreign policy is based on the principle of “one China” and, by virtue of it, the countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations cannot have them at the same time as Taipei.

For this reason, the Chinese government considered the meeting held last week in California by Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and Kevin McCarthy, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, as a provocation.

In response, and to put pressure on Taiwan, the Chinese military staged its own military exercises, which included the deployment of warships and fighter aircraft. Xi Jinping’s comments were the first made publicly after those moves.

US claims

The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, visited China before the start of these military exercises and in press statements published on Sunday, he distanced himself from Washington, the island’s main military ally.

Europeans, he said, they must not be “followers” of the United States

Macron has received criticism in the United States for his stance, which he reiterated on Wednesday during a visit to the Netherlands.

“Be an ally [de Estados Unidos] it does not mean being a vassal. Being an ally (…) doesn’t mean we don’t have the right to think for ourselves,” Macron said in Amsterdam.

The president added that France is “for the status quo” and advocates a “peaceful solution” to that conflict in the Far East.

The German Foreign Ministry has criticized Beijing’s “threatening military positions”, which increase “the risk of involuntary military clashes”.

The rapprochement between the Taiwanese authorities and the United States in recent years has caused irritation in Beijing. Although Washington and Taipei have no official relationshipthe United States provides the island with substantial military support.

Last summer, China conducted unprecedented military exercises near Taiwan and fired missiles in response to a visit to Nancy Pelosi’s island when she was in McCarthy’s current post.

Xi made his remarks also coinciding with the beginning of the greatest military manoeuvres never-before-realized joint venture between the United States and the Philippines.

With these trainings, both historical allies want to strengthen their coordination to counter China’s influence in the region. And it is that the Philippines’ proximity to Taiwan could make the country a key partner if Beijing decides to invade the rebellious island.

The Philippines earlier this month announced the location of four new military bases that could be used by the United Statesone located near the South China Sea and another not far from Taiwan.

China criticized the deal, which it said “endangers regional peace and stability”.

AFP agency