Xi Jinping orders PLA to form elite force for real combat, digital warfare

Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered the military to create an elite force with training in real combat and digital warfare.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China, (CPC) and chairman of the Central Military Commission, (CMC) made the remarks during an inspection of a division of the People's Libration Army (PLA) army in the Central Theatre Command, state-run Xinhua news agency reported today.

Regarded as the most powerful Chinese leader, Xi has been pressing the 2.3 million strong PLA, the world's largest standing force to improve combat training and function under the leadership of the party and CMC, which is the overall command of the military.

Yesterday Xi issued military training instructions to the PLA during a mobilisation ceremony which was simultaneously broadcast to 4,000 military gatherings around China.

The ceremony was held at a military training base in North China under the PLA's Central Theatre Command, with more than 7,000 PLA troops and 300 armed vehicles, China Central Television (CCTV) reported.

At the ceremony, Xi ordered the Chinese military to strengthen combat readiness and put military training in a strategic position, the PLA Daily, official newspaper of the PLA, reported.
READ MORE