TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A report released by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) a week ago asserts that the appointment of two generals from the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) Eastern Theater Command to its Central Military Commission shows that Beijing is strengthening its preparations to attack Taiwan.

On Nov. 14, the MAC released its Third-Quarter Report on the Situation in Mainland China. In a section titled Military Dynamic and Regional Security, it cited Chinese leader and Chairman of the Central Military Commission Xi Jinping (習近平) as saying the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) should improve and implement the system under which he assumes responsibility, masters the characteristics of information and intelligent warfare, and win local wars.

After attending the 20th National Congress of the CCP, Xi attended a meeting of leading military cadres. Xi inspected the Joint Battle Command Center and emphasized that "all efforts should be focused on fighting and the ability to win should be accelerated."

The Central Military Commission is headed by a seven-man committee with Xi at the helm. Below Xi in the committee are two vice-chairmen and four other members, all of whom are generals.

According to the report, He Weidong (何衛東) and Miao Hua (苗華), both of whom had been generals in the PLA's Eastern Theater Command, have been tapped to serve as the vice chairmen. The MAC report noted these appointments indicate the CCP is "strengthening its preparation for the military struggle against Taiwan."

The report also predicted that in the wake of joint exercises between the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) and the Royal Thai Air Force in August, such joint military exercises between the PLA and ASEAN forces could become normalized.