China air force conducts drill after President Xi urged his army to ‘focus on preparing for WAR’ 

China has released new footage of its air force conducting a live-fire drill just days after President Xi Jinping urged his troops to ‘focus on preparing for war’.

In a dramatic video shared today by state broadcaster CCTV, a group of Chinese fighter jets is seen hovering across mountains and sea as pilots fired bullets at targets during a combat exercise.

The video comes after the country’s leader told his marine soldiers to focus on war preparedness while remaining highly vigilant during a visit to a military base in southern Chinese Guangdong this week.

China has released new footage of its air force conducting a live-fire drill just days after the Chinese President Xi Jinping urged his troops to ‘focus on preparing for war’

In a dramatic video shared today by state broadcaster CCTV, a group of Chinese fighter jets is seen hovering across mountains and sea as pilots fired bullets at targets during a live-fire drill

In a dramatic video shared today by state broadcaster CCTV, a group of Chinese fighter jets is seen hovering across mountains and sea as pilots fired bullets at targets during a live-fire drill

The video comes after the country's leader, Xi Jinping (pictured on Wednesday), has told his marine soldiers to focus on war preparedness while remaining highly vigilant during a visit

The video comes after the country’s leader, Xi Jinping (pictured on Wednesday), has told his marine soldiers to focus on war preparedness while remaining highly vigilant during a visit

The Communist country has been flexing its muscle and ramping military exercises amid rising tensions between China and self-ruled Taiwan, which Beijing considers as its own.

On Friday, CCTV released a new video showing a live-fire drill conducted by the air force from China’s Southern Theatre Command, a military division tasked to safeguard the country’s national interest on the disputed South China Sea.

With dramatic music, a group of warplanes is seen taking off the runaway as pilots swerved across mountains and sea while firing at targets in the air.

The exercise is said to have taken place at an undisclosed training base in Guangdong province on Sunday, according to the army’s social media post.

On Friday, CCTV released a new video showing a live-fire drill conducted by the air force from China's Southern Theatre Command. The screenshot shows a pilot flying the fighter jet

On Friday, CCTV released a new video showing a live-fire drill conducted by the air force from China’s Southern Theatre Command. The screenshot shows a pilot flying the fighter jet

With dramatic music, a group of warplanes is seen in the new footage taking off the runaway as Chinese air force pilots swerved across mountains and sea while firing at targets in the air

With dramatic music, a group of warplanes is seen in the new footage taking off the runaway as Chinese air force pilots swerved across mountains and sea while firing at targets in the air

The footage came just three days after President Xi called for war preparedness while giving a speech to his navy troops at the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy Marine Corps

The footage came just three days after President Xi called for war preparedness while giving a speech to his navy troops at the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy Marine Corps

The footage came just three days after President Xi called for war preparedness while giving a speech to his navy troops at the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy Marine Corps, which is also led by the Southern Theatre Command.

While visiting the marine base on Tuesday, Xi urged the soldiers to ‘speed up improving [their combat capabilities]’ in order to become a ‘multi-functional, rapid response, all-weather and region’ elite force.

He also told the troops to focus on war preparedness while remaining highly vigilant, according to CCTV.

‘Focus all [your] minds and energy on preparing for war and maintain a level of high alert,’ Xi, who is also chairman of China’s Central Military Commission, is quoted saying.

In a dramatic video shared today by state media, a group of Chinese fighter jets is seen hovering across mountains and sea as pilots fired bullets at targets during a combat exercise

In a dramatic video shared today by state media, a group of Chinese fighter jets is seen hovering across mountains and sea as pilots fired bullets at targets during a combat exercise

The exercise is said to have taken place at a disclosed training base in Guangdong province on Sunday, according to the army's social media post. The picture, released by the Southern Air Force, shows a Chinese warplane waiting to take off on the runaway at a disclosed location

The exercise is said to have taken place at a disclosed training base in Guangdong province on Sunday, according to the army’s social media post. The picture, released by the Southern Air Force, shows a Chinese warplane waiting to take off on the runaway at a disclosed location

The air force footage is among a string of videos recently released by Chinese state media, seemingly flaunting the country's military capabilities while sending warnings to other nations

The air force footage is among a string of videos recently released by Chinese state media, seemingly flaunting the country’s military capabilities while sending warnings to other nations

The Chinese leader also said that the Navy shouldered the important duties of ‘safeguarding the country’s sovereignty security and marine interests’.

The air force footage is among a string of videos recently released by Chinese state media, seemingly flaunting the country’s military capabilities while sending warnings to other countries.

In another clip published by CCTV this month, troops from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) are seen simulating an attack on an unidentified island during a large-scale military exercise.

The live-fire training, featuring amphibious landing craft, attack helicopters and land-based missiles, was reportedly conducted by the PLA’s 73rd group army, believed to be the main force which would be used in China’s potential attacks on Taiwan.

Last month, China released a propaganda video showing nuclear-capable bombers carrying out a simulated attack on what appears to be the US Andersen Air Force Base on the Pacific island of Guam.

The Communist government has ratcheted up pressure on the democratic island since the 2016 election of President Tsai Ing-wen, who rejects its view that Taiwan is part of ‘one China’.

Washington’s increased outreach to Taiwan under President Donald Trump has become yet another flashpoint with Beijing, as the US and China clash over a range of trade and security issues, as well as the coronavirus pandemic.