Xi hails new fire-rescue force

President says members must be loyal to the Party and safeguard people, property

President Xi Jinping required a newly established national firefighting and rescue force on Friday to be loyal to the Party and to be dedicated to serving the people.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remark at the flag-conferring ceremony of the national comprehensive firefighting and rescue force held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

It is a strategic decision made by the CPC Central Committee to establish the firefighting and rescue force to modernize the capacity for governance, and it has great significance to improve the country's capacity to prevent disaster and to rescue people, safeguard public security and protect people's lives and property, Xi said.

The force is built up from the previous firefighting force under the public security authority and the previous forestry force under the armed police.

More than 500 firefighters and rescuers, wearing the new uniform of the force, attended the ceremony. They took an oath at the ceremony, pledging to be loyal to the Party, follow strict discipline and spare no efforts in protecting the safety of people's lives and property and safeguarding social stability.

The force is currently under the administration of the Ministry of Emergency Management. It has special professional ranks as well as a special flag, badge, oath and uniform.

The force should be loyal to the Party, follow strict discipline, be brave to fight in all conditions and be dedicated to serving the people, Xi said.

The president said the force must help the people when they are in need and bravely protect people's lives and health.

Xi spoke highly of the prominent contributions made by the firefighting force to protecting the people.

After the reform, the force, as the country's main power for emergency rescue, shoulders great responsibility for preventing and resolving major safety risks and dealing with all kinds of disasters and accidents, Xi said, adding that the Party and the people have great expectations for the force.

The force should follow the absolute leadership of the Party, have strong belief, firmly safeguard the authority of the CPC Central Committee and its centralized and unified leadership, firmly obey the orders of the Party, and always be the loyal guard of the Party and the people, Xi said.

Xi told the force to follow strict discipline, be ready for emergency cases, put the people at the highest place in mind and save the people from danger.