"Preparations for military struggle shall be continued, which is now the most important, practical and imperative task", Jing Zhiyuan, commander of the Second Artillery Force of the PLA, said.

The remarks of Jin and other PLA members of Chinas Parliament, National Peoples Congress, came at the ongoing NPC session just two days after China announced a steep 17.6 per cent hike in its defence budget for 2008 and issued a stern warning to Taiwan that it would pay a ‘dear price’ for its ‘secessionist activities’.

Taiwan had split from China during the civil war in 1949 but Beijing insists that the self-ruled island is part of its territory.

Jing, official Xinhua news agency said, asked the armed forces to provide ‘solid military backup’ for the nations realization of peaceful reunification.

Chang Wanquan, head of the PLA General Armaments Department, said development of high-tech weapons and equipment would be boosted to get keep the army combat-ready in a ‘refined’ way.