Xi calls for stronger strategic reserve forces

JINAN - Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered the People's Liberation Army (PLA) to reinforce the party's leadership over the troops, enhance its war capabilities and strive to build a strong strategic reserve force.

Xi, who is also chairman of the Central Military Commission, inspected the Jinan Military Area Command on Thursday, as part of his visits to Shandong province in East China.

President Xi Jinping (2nd R front), also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, praises the recruits after watching a shooting practice at the Jinan Military Area Command in Jinan, the capital of East China's Shandong province, Nov 28, 2013.[Photo/Xinhua]

Xi witnessed the training of recruits at a training base. He congratulated the recruits on the remarkable progress they had made and urged them to train harder and become real soldiers as soon as possible.

While meeting with division commanders of the Jinan Military Area Command, Xi said military training is critical to beef up the PLA's war capacities and that trainings must focus on what is needed to fight a war and what it lacks most.

Training should include education of troops of their duty to the nation,be conducted in a base and under simulated war conditions, Xi said.

Xi urged the generals to learn and implement strategies on national defense and military reforms outlined in a key decision approved at the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Communist Party of China Central Committee earlier this month.

The decision promised to optimize the size and structure of the army, reform the leadership system, and reduce noncombat institutions and personnel.

Military leaders must precisely grasp the goal and tasks of the reforms and exert themselves to solve prominent problems hindering military development, Xi added.