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ASSOCIATED PRESS
Novice soldiers run along a road during a test of military skills in Heihe in northeastern China’s Heilongjiang province. China has created three new military units as part of reforms to modernize its military and improve its fighting capacity.
BEIJING >> China has created three new military bodies as part of reforms to modernize its military — the world’s largest standing force — and improve its fighting capacity.
State television on Saturday showed President Xi Jinping giving military flags to the leaders of the three new units — a general command for the People’s Liberation Army, a missile force and a strategic support force. At the ceremony, which took place Thursday, Xi and PLA officers and soldiers sang the national anthem.
Xi said the three new units were created as part of a modernization reform and “to realize the Chinese dream of a strong military.”
He has promulgated the idea of a “Chinese dream” involving “the great renewal of the Chinese nation” and sees a strong military as key to this.
The military reform comes as China has become more assertive in pressing its claims to territory in the East China Sea and South China Sea, increasing tensions with its neighbors.
In a bid to show China poses no expansionist threat, Xi announced in September that he would reduce China’s 2.3 million-strong army by 300,000 troops. However, it will still remain the world’s largest.
Described by Xi as a “core force of strategic deterrence,” the PLA Rocket Force will replace the Second Artillery Force in controlling China’s nuclear arsenal and conventional missiles. The new Strategic Support Force will likely focus on cyber warfare.
Other reform plans include phasing out old equipment and developing new weapons systems.
The reforms also tighten the party’s leadership over the army. It used to be supervised by four headquarters, while now the army’s general command is controlled directly by the Central Military Commission, whose chairman is Xi.
The military has been the focus of an anticorruption campaign spearheaded by Xi. The two highest-ranking officers to be accused of taking bribes were vice-chairmen of the Central Military Commission.
Everytime America buy another made in China goods, we are boosting their military budget as well.
Meanwhile Obama is dead set to dismantle our military defense.
Because of the do nothing Republican who fail to release tax dollars for the military .
The Strategic Force to focus on Cyber warfare….hacking(we know they are already doing this and perfecting their hacking techniques) and taking control of opponents’ electronic warfare is a sure defeat for those against this commie nation. They got rich for disregard of other nations’ intellectual property rights. Since we have a president intent on destroying US defense system, we can assume the next imperialist is China. It is creating the Silk road with rails loans to developing countries that can not afford to pay these scam loans. The silk roads are arteries for the commies to move forces to overtake anyone rebelling its ambitions.
Pssst… we’re also hacking other countries’ computers, spying on our allies and on members of Congress.
Wake up and smell the wonderful Kona Coffee.
Spying on allie? Yikes !