Last Friday, Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered the People’s Liberation Army to "prepare for combat and war" as the country faces "unprecedented risks and challenges".

“Over the coming year, the US might use Taiwan and the South China Sea as bargaining chips to get what it wants from China with regards to the trade war,” he said.

“And there is always the possibility of increased independence calls from Taiwan.”

Xi made his speech at a meeting with top officials from the Central Military Commission, which was broadcasted later on national television.

“All military units must correctly understand major national security and development trends, and strengthen their sense of unexpected hardship, crisis and battle,” he said.

At the meeting, Xi also signed off the first military command of 2019 — to kickstart a year of enhanced military training and exercises.

“Beijing is very unhappy to see the US is continuing arms sales to Taipei, as well as promoting more US-Taiwan official and military exchanges,” said Arthur Ding, an associate research fellow at the Institute for Security and Development Policy in Stockholm.