Chinese President Xi Jinping warned Friday that Beijing will not shy away from conflict, soon after President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger former Vice President Joe Biden sought to convince Americans they would both stand up to China over the next four years.

China threatened on Thursday to retaliate against the latest U.S. arms sale to Chinese-claimed Taiwan, as the island welcomed the weapons package but said it was not looking to get into an arms race with Beijing.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said Saturday that the island democracy is strengthening its defenses against a potential Chinese invasion, but also called for “meaningful dialogue” with Beijing, which claims the country as its own territory.

For the past several months, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has busily dispelled any residual doubts about his hostility toward the U.S. and its allies in NATO and the Middle East.

Much of the nation’s top military leadership is now in quarantine after the vice commandant of the Coast Guard tested positive for COVID-19, a senior Defense Department official said Tuesday.