Chinese military officials have urged combat readiness in efforts to reunify Taiwan, just days after the government announced a 17.6 percent rise in defence spending, state press said Friday.
"Preparations for military struggle shall be continued, which is now the most important, practical and imperative task", Xinhua news agency quoted Jing Zhiyuan, a People's Liberation Army (PLA) artillery commander, as saying.

Jing "urged armed forces to provide solid military backup for the nation's realisation of peaceful reunification" with Taiwan, it said.

Jing commands China's Second Artillery Force, which, according to Taiwan defence officials, has deployed more than 1,000 ballistic missiles facing the island.

He was speaking while in Beijing as a delegate to the annual parliamentary session that began on Wednesday.

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Chang Wanquan, head of the PLA General Armaments Department, also urged development of high-tech weapons and equipment to boost the army's combat readiness, the report said.

China announced on Tuesday its defence spending would jump 17.6 percent to 417.8 billion yuan (about 57.2 billion dollars) this year but insisted the rise was moderate.

China views Taiwan as a rebel province awaiting reunification, by force if necessary. The two sides split at the end of a civil war and the issue is regarded as one of Asia's most dangerous potential flashpoints.

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