China announced that it conducted military exercises off its coast opposite Taiwan, on Saturday. This comes after Chinese President Xi Jinping warned his US counterpart, Joe Biden, not to "play with fire" on Taiwan, in reference to the planned visit by Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, to Taipei. China's People's Liberation Army was conducting "live-fire exercises" near the Pingtan islands off Fujian province from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., the official Xinhua News Agency said. Accordingly, the country's Maritime Safety Administration warned ships to avoid the area. The announcement did not indicate the weapons or army formations that will be included in the exercises. Pelosi has not confirmed a trip to Taiwan, which China views as a breakaway province that it has vowed to retake by force if necessary. If the visit took place, it will be the first visit by a House speaker to the province since Republican Newt Gingrich met then-President Lee Teng-hui in 1997. From the Chinese point of view, Taiwan has no right to conduct foreign relations under the 'One China principle. Accordingly, the visit by American officials is seen as encouraging the 'separatist movement'. China's Ministry of Defence spokesperson said the PLA would take "strong measures" to stop the pro-independence activity in Taiwan. On Thursday, the Political Bureau of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) held the 41st group study session on further implementing the strategy of strengthening the military by training competent personnel in the new era. Xi, the General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, presided over the study session and delivered a speech. He stressed that we should implement the strategy of strengthening the military by training competent personnel in the new era. "By raising the capacity and competence of military personnel and comprehensively transforming personnel structure and layout as well as personnel development and management, we will cultivate a new type of high-calibre and professional military personnel that boast both moral integrity and professional competence." Xi stressed that competent personnel will play a greater role in guiding and supporting the development of the military as we thoroughly implement our strategy. Taiwan and China split in 1949 after a civil war that ended with a communist victory on the mainland. The two governments say they are one country but disagree over which is entitled to national leadership. They have no official relations but are linked by billions of dollars in trade and investment.
