Chinese President Xi Jinping called this week for troops to strengthen their preparedness for war, state media reported on Saturday, just days after Beijing staged large-scale military drills around Taiwan.

Xi made his comments while visiting a brigade of the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force on Thursday, according to state-run broadcaster CCTV.

Xi said the military should “comprehensively strengthen training and preparation for war, (and) ensure troops have solid combat capabilities”, CCTV reported.

Soldiers must “enhance their strategic deterrent and combat capability”, Xi said.

China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, has stepped up its shows of force around the self-ruled island in recent years.

On Monday, Beijing had deployed fighter jets, drones, warships and coast guard vessels to encircle Taiwan — its fourth round of large-scale war games around the democratic island in just over two years.

China’s communist leaders have insisted they will not rule out using force to bring Taiwan under Beijing’s control.

Xi on Thursday said the Chinese military must “strongly safeguard the country’s strategic security and core interests”, according to the CCTV report.

The dispute between China and Taiwan dates back to a civil war in which the nationalist forces of Chiang Kai-shek were defeated by Mao Zedong’s communist fighters and fled to the island in 1949.

China and Taiwan have been ruled separately since then.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has extended an olive branch to the United States saying that Beijing was ready to be Washington’s friend and partner with Washington.

“China is willing to be a partner and friend with the United States. This will benefit not only the two countries but the world,” said Xi in remarks from a letter to the 2024 annual awards dinner of the National Committee on US-China relations, according to a CCTV news report on Wednesday.

The president also highlighted that relations between the two countries were among the most important bilateral relations in the world and which had a bearing on the future and destiny of mankind.

The two countries have been at odds over national security concerns, ongoing trade spats as well as China’s actions in the South China Sea and intensified military drills around Taiwan.

Trade relations soured over the past year and have centred around issues including restrictions on electric vehicles and advanced semiconductors.

“China has always handled China-US relations in accordance with the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, and has always believed that the success of China and the United States is an opportunity for each other,” said President Xi.