China's Xi urges stronger army, world peace

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for more reforms to make the Chinese military a much leaner and modern fighting force.

 

Xi, also the chairman of the Central Military Commission of China, was addressing troops at celebrations to mark the 90thanniversary of the founding of the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) at Zhurihe training base in Inner Mongolia Autonomous region. The PLA was founded on 1st August, 1927 in Nanchang, east China's Jiangxi province.

 

He said the army should accelerate reforms, technology and innovation to achieve modernisation.

 

"The PLA must be an elite force ready for action and to score victory at any time. We should improve our combat readiness", Xi said.

 

He praised China's army as a gallant force which is loyal to the party and country. He said the PLA has worked to enhance the dignity, prosperity and security of the Chinese people.

 

Before his address, Xi inspected a military parade mounted by 12,000 service personnel from various units of the army.

 

In a show of force, troops chanted ‘Hail you Chairman' as he acknowledged ‘comrades for the hard work' to which the troops chanted ‘serve the people'.

 

Tanks, vehicle-mounted nuclear-capable missiles and other equipment rolled by, as military aircraft flew above, including H-6K bombers, which have been patrolling near Taiwan and Japan recently.

 

129 aircraft took part in the display. China's 4th generation supersonic stealth J-20 fighter jets also made their first public debut.

 

In recent years, China has embarked on a program to build a leaner but better structured and modern military. In 2015, President Xi announced that service personnel would be cut from 2.3 million to 2.

 

The world's second largest economy is also taking its military influence abroad. In July, China opened its first overseas military base in Djibouti.

 

Beijing said base would serve as logistical and support base for peace keeping operations, humanitarian assistance and security of shipping through the Red sea.

 

China troops are involved in U.N peace keeping operations in South Sudan, Mali and Liberia.

 

President Xi said the PLA had a duty to safeguard world peace and work to support the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

 

Professor Xu Hui of the National Defence University of China said the PLA has evolved fast from a small army to a great fighting force in terms of weapons and training.