China’s President Xi Jinping has reportedly told the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to “focus all its energy on fighting” in preparation for war.
A Chinese Communist party mouthpiece said in a report that Jinping said that the army must “comprehensively strengthen military training in preparation for war”.
China People’s Daily reported Jinping had earlier warned of “dangerous storms” on the horizon in the Communist party’s congress.
The Chinese president was quoted saying, “Focus all [your] energy on fighting, work hard on fighting and improve [your] capability to win”.
He said the PLA must focus on defending national sovereignty and national security” as China was in an “unstable and uncertain” security situation.
In another report by Chinese broadcaster CCTV, Jinping said, the country will now comprehensively strengthen its military training and preparation for any war.
“Xi instructed the armed forces to thoroughly study, publicize and implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and take concrete actions to further modernize national defence and the military,” the report continued.
The Chinese leader “also instructed them to resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, and successfully complete various tasks entrusted by the Party and the people,” the channel reported.
The 69-year-old secured a historic third term as China’s President last month while stacking the all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee with loyalists, cementing his role as the most powerful leader since Communist Party founder Mao Zedong.
Investors and analysts feared the unveiling of the new leadership team, which had traditionally been made up of representatives from all factions of the party, was a signal that Beijing was pivoting towards military and state power rather than business-friendly policies.
