Strong army, reform usher in new era for PLA

BEIJING, Aug. 2 (NsNewsWire) — The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) marked its 89th anniversary Monday, Army Day, with a call to action: A strong China needs a strong armed forces.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Xi Jinping has said a strong armed forces can only be achieved through military reform, reports Xinhua.

Xi, who is also chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), called the reform drive “a comprehensive and revolutionary change,” and said obstacles and policy issues that may hold back reform measures must be addressed to build a strong armed forces commensurate with China’s international status.

The latest reform drive marks a historic shift in the organization and structure of the PLA. It is expected that the PLA’s command system and structure will be more efficient, powers and responsibilities will be better managed, and its troops better arranged.

The fundamental criterion should be the test of war, especially modern combat. The military’s role is to protect the country and it should be capable of winning battles, should the situation arise.

China has been pushing to reform various fields and its measures in the military have been some of the most successful. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-08/01/c_135555499.htm