Xi urges China’s army to enhance combat readiness and capabilities

BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for his country’s military to focus all its energy and strength on combat readiness and capabilities.

This would resolutely safeguard China’s national sovereignty, security and development interests, he said on Tuesday.

Noting that the world is undergoing more profound changes unseen in a century, he stressed that China’s national security is facing increased instability and uncertainty, and that its military tasks remain arduous.

Mr Xi, who is chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), gave the instruction during a visit to the joint operations command centre of the CMC in Beijing. He is also commander-in-chief of the centre.

The command centre, established in 2016 and responsible for directing the joint operations of all the armed forces, is the highest operational command of China’s military.

On Tuesday, a camouflage-clad Mr Xi said the visit was to show the resolve of the new CMC in carrying out the strategic plans laid out during the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in October, and in strengthening military training and combat readiness.

He noted the plans for national defence and the development of China’s armed forces, and stressed the need to accomplish goals set for the centenary of the People’s Liberation Army in 2027.

Mr Xi, who recently secured a third term as party leader, called for the whole military to faithfully implement the plans and requirements of the CPC Central Committee and the CMC, ensure the full implementation of the spirit of the Congress, and strive for greater progress in modernising national defence and the military.

He urged the entire armed forces to apply the party’s thinking on strengthening the military, implement the military strategy for the new era, and uphold combat effectiveness as the sole criterion.

It is important to enhance innovation in command and operations and build a strategic command body featuring absolute loyalty, prowess in planning combat, high efficiency in command, and boldness in combat and the will to win, Mr Xi said.

The war in Ukraine has shown the importance of building a complete combat system and joint command, state media outlet Global Times reported on Wednesday. “It is necessary to lay a solid foundation for military preparedness in all areas of land, sea, air and space,” the newspaper said, quoting Beijing-based military expert Li Jie.

Experts believe that the greatest security threats are from the United States. In his first formal National Security Strategy released in October, US President Joe Biden identified China as “America’s most consequential geopolitical challenge”.

The US is no longer hiding its efforts to step up provocations that directly target China, whether it is in the Taiwan Strait or the South China Sea, Chinese military expert Song Zhongping told Global Times.

But the experts stressed that China’s military development is to protect its own interests from hegemonism.

“Working for combat readiness does not mean being belligerent,” Mr Li told Global Times. “All countries prepare for the situation in their neighbourhood, and China is no exception, especially in today’s increasingly tense situation.”

Agreeing, Mr Song told Global Times: “The only way to ensure that there is no war is to have the strength to win a war.” CHINA DAILY/ASIA NEWS NETWORK, XINHUA