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Special coverage: China military watch

BEIJING - High-ranking officers of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) have voiced group support to President Xi Jinping's instruction of building a strong military.

The PLA Daily on Wednesday published articles by chiefs of seven military area commands, the air force and the armed police as well as senior leaders of the navy, the second artillery force, the general political department and general staff departments.

Comments on national defense and building strong armed forces made by Xi, who is chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), were all echoed by the chiefs and senior leaders.

The use of air force at sea must be strengthened to safeguard China's maritime rights and tackle various threats from the ocean, according a piece by Air Force commander Ma Xiaotian.

He highlighted enhanced information support, systematic combat capacities and exercises in real war situations at sea.

"(We must) ensure to fulfill our mission effectively as soon as Chairman Xi and the CMC give an order," Ma said in his article.

Zhang Shibo, Beijing Military Area commander, said the rule of law in military construction must be implemented and anyone violating laws and regulations must be punished severely.

Military leaders must be subject to strict management and take the lead in obeying laws to build a strong army, Zhang said.

Shenyang Military Area commander Wang Jiaocheng and Guangzhou Military Area commander Xu Fenlin emphasized the importance of establishing and implementing standards for combat capacities, while Liu Yuejun, Lanzhou Military Area commander, pledged to consolidate border defense in northwest China.

Military reform, strategic thinking and being prepared for combat were also discussed by chiefs of the military area commands in Jinan, Nanjing and Chengdu.

The navy will step up developing new combat platforms and weapons for strikes, and improve information support during maritime wars, said Tian Zhong, deputy commander of the navy.

The navy will strengthen exercises under the electromagnetic environment in unfamiliar and complicated sea waters, he said.

The second artillery force is striving to improve informatization to build strong missile troops, said Wang Jiurong, the force's deputy commander.

Yi Xiaoguang, assistant to the chief of staff, underscored military and civilian integration, with cooperation in sea, air and space as well as information, of which the country is in urgent need. Integration will be at higher levels and in a more coordinated way.

The leadership of the Communist Party of China over the armed forces must be guaranteed as it is important politically for the nation and is aimed at maintaining the interests of the people, said Wu Changde, deputy director of the general political department.

Wu warned of caution against challenges to the leadership, including hostile forces' infiltration into the military as well as the changing social environment and construction of the PLA.

Efforts to improve theoretical work, supervision of senior officials and style of working should be made to ensure the CPC's absolute leadership, Wu said.