Xi Jinping Urges Stronger Party Control and Modernization of China's Military

On the 99th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army, the Chinese Communist Party’s Politburo held a collective study on high‑quality defence and military modernization. President Xi Jinping stressed that the army must remain under the absolute leadership of the Party, deepen anti‑corruption efforts, and build a solid ideological foundation so that “the gun barrel always obeys the Party”. He called for accelerated development of unmanned and intelligent technologies, stronger cyber‑information systems, and rigorous combat‑readiness testing.

Xi also directed central and local authorities to fully support defence construction and to foster a nationwide atmosphere of respect for the military. In the days surrounding the anniversary, the Chinese coast guard and the Southern Theater Command conducted patrols east of Taiwan and near the disputed Huangyan Island in the South China Sea, underscoring the emphasis on safeguarding sovereignty and regional stability.