News - Middle East: China's defense minister General Wei Fenghe says the country's armed forces are on high alert and ready for war amid mounting tensions with the United States over Chinese Taipei.

Wei made the remarks in Beijing on Wednesday on the sidelines of the ongoing 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

He warned that Beijing was running into “severe and grave national security conditions”, and said to weather the storm, the military needed to fully implement President Xi Jinping’s directives.

Armed forces must implement Xi’s directives on “strengthening the military and improving its ability to win,” Wei was quoted as saying by state-run Xinhua.

“The military has to maintain a high degree of vigilance, always prepare for war and resolutely defend the country’s sovereignty, security and development interests," he asserted.

Li Zuocheng, chief of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission, said the military needed to support the development of the nation, including enhancing combat readiness and military hardware, as reported by Chinese state media.