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China’s state media reported that on Thursday, President Xi Jinping inspected a brigade of the People’s Liberation Army’s Missile Force. During the visit, he called on the military to step up its “deterrence and warfare capabilities”. This was reported by Reuters with reference to the Chinese news agency Xinhua.
Xi Jinping also stressed the importance of the missile forces fulfilling the strategic tasks entrusted to them by the Party and the people. China’s missile forces, which control both conventional and nuclear missiles, play a key role in the modernisation of China’s nuclear forces against the backdrop of strengthening US defence systems, growing surveillance capabilities and strengthening military alliances.
The President stressed the need to adhere to political guidelines, strengthen responsibility for missions and develop high-quality forces. This is stated in a report by the Chinese portal Cailianshe.
The Chinese army has been undergoing a large-scale anti-corruption purge since last year. Many generals, including those from the missile force, and heads of defence enterprises have been removed from their national positions. In June, Xi Jinping spoke of “deep-rooted problems” in the politics, ideology and discipline of the armed forces, stressing the need to root out corruption in the military.
These steps are part of a broader strategy to modernise and reform the Chinese army to meet new global challenges and increase its readiness to fight in the modern world.
