Xi calls for high-quality development of armed forces with high-level governance

As China’s Army Day, which falls on Aug 1, draws close, the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee on Monday held its seventh group study session on strengthening all-around military governance. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, presided over the session.

He stressed that strengthening all-around military governance represents a profound transformation in the CPC's philosophy on and methods of running the military, meets the strategic requirements for accelerating the modernization of national defense and the military, and constitutes an important aspect of modernizing China's governance system and capacity. We should fully implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress, and the thought on building a strong military in the new era, and follow the military strategy for the new era. We must uphold the Party's absolute leadership over the armed forces, and adhere to the fact that combat effectiveness is the sole and fundamental criterion for all military endeavors. While upholding and improving a socialist military system with Chinese characteristics, we must build a modern system for military governance, and boost the capacity for such governance. It is also imperative to facilitate the high-quality development of the armed forces through high-level governance, so as to provide a strong guarantee for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to achieve the goals for the centenary of its founding.

Zhao Dongbin, head of a military law institute under the Academy of Military Sciences, delivered a lecture on the issue and put forward suggestions for work in this regard. Members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee listened to Zhao’s lecture attentively and had discussions thereafter.

Xi made an important speech after hearing the lecture and discussions. He pointed out that since the 18th CPC National Congress, in the process of building a strong military, the CPC Central Committee and the Central Military Commission have upheld the Party’s absolute leadership over the military, and promoted the exploration and practice of military governance. Through deepening reforms of national defense and the armed forces, promoting the rule of law in the military, and strengthening and improving the strategic management of the military, a series of new systems, mechanisms, laws, regulations and policies have been developed. These have helped us adhere to and develop a socialist military system with Chinese characteristics in the new era, and boost the modernization of our national defense and the armed forces.

Xi pointed out that with the evolution of global changes of a magnitude not seen in a century, a new round of technological and military revolutions is well underway. The development of our military is in a critical period of achieving the goals for the centenary of the founding of the PLA. It is necessary to recognize the significance of strengthening all-around military governance, boost the sense of mission, carry forward the spirit of reform and innovation, intensify work in this regard, and promote military building through strengthening military governance.

Xi Jinping pointed out that strengthening all-around military governance is a complex systematic project involving all aspects of national defense and the development of the military. It is imperative to strengthen systems thinking, adopt a problem-oriented approach, strengthen the top-level design and strategic planning for military governance, boost governance in all fields, in all links, and at all levels, and promote it in a planned and focused manner. We should intensify our efforts to coordinate the overall situation and strengthen coordination across different departments and areas to see to it that military governance is more systematic, holistic and coordinated. It is essential to strengthen the management and supervision of military expenditure and further strengthen governance in key areas so as to make overall progress through major breakthroughs. It is imperative to advance innovation in strategic management, refine the mechanism that ensures sound demand generation, that the responses are timely and the implementation of them is effective, and choose a way of assessment that is professional throughout the whole process so that the links are smooth and efficient, and the overall performance of the military system is boosted.

High-level departments and senior officials should take the lead in emancipating the mind, innovating working methods and advancing work on all fronts under the guidance of governance thinking. They should strengthen the ability for systematic and rule-based governance, and the ability to govern by solving problems from their root causes and in a holistic way. Importance should be attached to grassroots-based governance, which requires respect for the principal role and pioneering spirits of soldiers. The development at the grassroots should be advanced in an all-around manner so as to achieve overall progress. We should integrate military governance with reform and the rule of law, build on and expand the gains of national defense and the reform of the military. It is essential to deepen military legislation, and strengthen supervision over the enforcement of laws and regulations. Reform should play an active part and so should the rule of law so as to advance military governance in an all-around way.

Xi stressed that improving military-civilian governance is integral to strengthening all-around military governance, and is an essential requirement for consolidating and upgrading integrated national strategies and strategic capabilities. Relevant central Party and government departments as well as local CPC committees and governments at all levels should bear firmly in mind the awareness of national defense, and strengthen overall coordination to perform well their duties to promote the development of national defense. The armed forces should communicate and coordinate well with local governments and give full play to the guiding role of military demands in the development of national defense. Xi called for further efforts to optimize systems and mechanisms, improve organizational systems, and refine related policies, ensuring a well-functioning, rule-based, and orderly military-civilian work system featuring close collaboration.