Chinese armed forces must be prepared for battle and enhance their combat readiness to respond quickly and effectively to contingencies, President Xi Jinping said on Friday, China’s official news agency Xinhua reported. China is facing increasing risks and challenges, and the armed forces should have a “correct understanding” of the country’s security and development trends, Xi said at a meeting of the military top brass.

At the meeting, Xi, who is also chairman of the Central Military Commission, signed a mobilisation order for the training of the armed forces.

The armed forces must prepare for a “comprehensive military struggle from a new starting point”, he said, adding that forces needed to upgrade their joint operations capabilities. “The world is facing a period of major changes never seen in a century, and China is still in an important period of strategic opportunity for development,” Xinhua quoted Xi as saying.

The president’s comments came days after he said that nobody can change the fact that Taiwan is part of China and sought for “reunification”.