BEIJING – Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered the army to enhance itscombat readiness to make sure it is always ready for a battle, saying risksand challenges are on the rise as the world is facing a period of majorchanges never seen in a century, state media reported Saturday.
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the world’s largest with two milliontroops, last year doubled the training period for new recruits from threeto six months in a bid to improve their combat capabilities.
President Xi, who also heads the PLA besides the ruling Communist Party,told a meeting of the Central Military Commission (CMC), the overall highcommand of the Chinese military, that “the world is facing a period ofmajor changes never seen in a century, and China is still in an importantperiod of strategic opportunity for development”.
Xi is the Chairman of the CMC. He is the only civilian in the high-powermilitary body comprising top defence officials.Preparedness is vital in theera of drastic changes, unpredictable risks, Xi said Friday, official mediareported.He ordered the armed forces to continue strengthening their combatpreparedness and to make sure they are always ready for battle, state-runChina Daily reported.
The entire armed forces should have a correct understanding of China’ssecurity and development trends, enhance their awareness of danger, crisisand war, and make solid efforts on combat preparations in order toaccomplish the tasks assigned by the CPC and the people, Xi said.
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Regarding combat capability as the only and fundamental criterion, Xiordered all work, forces and resources to focus on military preparednessand ensure a marked progress in this regard, state-run Xinhua news agencyreported.
Xi stressed the armed forces’ ability to respond quickly and effectively tocontingencies, asking them to upgrade commanding capability of jointoperations, foster new combat forces, and improve military training undercombat conditions.
Party and government departments and agencies at the central and locallevels are required to support the defence and military development, hesaid.
