Xi stresses strengthening national defense, armed forces

BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping Tuesday stressed achieving the targets and missions of strengthening the national defense and armed forces for 2020, while maintaining effective epidemic control on a regular basis.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks when attending a plenary meeting of the delegation of the People's Liberation Army and People's Armed Police Force, at the third session of the 13th National People's Congress, China's national legislature.

Xi heard speeches by military deputies on fulfilling epidemic control tasks, strengthening training amid the epidemic, and accelerating capacity building on biosecurity defense, among others.

Commending their role in battling COVID-19, Xi said the people's armed forces have once again proven themselves to be heroic forces that can be fully trusted by the Party and the people.

Xi said the epidemic has brought a profound impact on the global landscape and on China's security and development as well.

He ordered the military to think about worst-case scenarios, scale up training and battle preparedness, promptly and effectively deal with all sorts of complex situations and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests.

Xi demanded reform and innovation to address new situations and problems exposed in the epidemic and ordered accelerating the research and development on COVID-19 drugs and vaccines by tapping the advantages of military medical research.

He also stressed scientific innovation on national defense and training of high-caliber professional military personnel.

Noting that this year marks the end of the 13th five-year plan for military development, Xi said extraordinary measures must be taken to overcome the impact of the epidemic to ensure major tasks on the military building are achieved.

He demanded good planning on the next five-year plan. On defense expenditure, Xi said every penny must be well spent to produce maximum results.

He also asked the military to support the economic and social development, poverty relief and others.