Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed the need to build a world-class military, capable of « defeating all invading enemies » and loyal to the ruling Communist Party, at a major parade Sunday. The event — featuring 12,000 service personnel and about 700 aircraft and pieces of ground equipment
Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed the need to build a world-class military, capable of « defeating all invading enemies » and loyal to the ruling Communist Party, at a major parade Sunday.
The event — featuring 12,000 service personnel and about 700 aircraft and pieces of ground equipment — marked the 90th anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) , now the world’s largest military.
It was the first time Xi has observed a parade of this size staged in the field, according to the defence ministry.
Since coming to power in 2012, the president has trumpeted the need to build a stronger combat-ready military, while leading efforts to centralise the Communist Party’s control over it.
« The world is not all at peace. Peace must be safeguarded, » Xi, wearing a camouflage military uniform, said in a speech at the expansive Zhurihe training base in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
« Today we are closer than ever before to the goal of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and — more than any other time in history — we need to build a strong people’s military, » he said.
