China establishes new battle zones

World Today

Chinese President Xi Jinping, foreground left, presents a military flag to Commander Song Puxuan and Political Commissar Chu Yimin of the Northern Theater Command during a ceremony in Beijing, Monday, Feb. 1, 2016. China has set up five new military regions covering the country as part of an ongoing drive to reorganize and streamline the 2.3 million-member People’s Liberation Army. (Li Gang/Xinhua via AP) CHINA OUT

An inauguration ceremony was held in Beijing on Monday for the People’s Liberation Army’s five new battle zones that have been established as part of a set of military reforms being carried out in China.

During the ceremony, the Chairman of the Central Military Commission, Xi Jinping, awarded military flags to the new commanders and political commissars of the new battle zones.

Before the reforms, there were seven military regions, including the Beijing Military Region, Shenyang Military Region, Jinan Military Region, Lanzhou Military Region, Chengdu Military Region, Guangzhou Military Region and Nanjing Military Region.

These regions have now been reclassified into five battle zones (or theater commands), namely the East, West, South, North, and Middle battle zones.

The establishment of the battle zones and building of the joint operation command are strategic decisions on the part of the Party and the Central Military Commission, with the aim of building a strong military force.

The newly-founded zones also shoulder the responsibility of maintaining peace, preventing wars and winning wars.
According to Xi, it has decisive role to safeguard China’s national security strategy and the overall situation of China’s military strategy.

China takes crucial steps to build a strong Army

China has been taking steps to reform its military system and build a stronger army, which was requested by Xi Jinping.

On Jan. 11, China announced a major structural shift, decentralizing the four major military headquarters of the People’s Liberation Army into 15 new units that include seven departments, three commissions and five other departments directly under the command of the Central Military Commission.

Xi Jinping called the shift a “breakthrough” and “a crucial step” toward building a stronger military.
Military authorities say that the new system will contribute to the absolute leadership of the party over the army, and enhance the restriction on and supervision of the exercise of power.

The move followed an earlier reform announced on Dec. 31 of last year, when the country unveiled three new units under the People’s Liberation Army. Those units are the PLA General Command, the PLA Rocket Force and the PLA Strategic Support Force.

The new units, according to a Central Military Commission statement, are important to ensure better management of the military commission, to strengthen the combat capability of troops in military areas and to comprehensively build military services.

In the past, Chinese president Xi Jinping has stressed that a prosperous nation and a strong army are the foundations upon which national rejuvenation will be built.

As part of Xi Jinping’s blueprint of building a strong army through reforms, China has vowed to streamline military personnel to about 300,000 by the end of 2017, to attract more well-educated recruits and to root out corruption in the army to ensure the rule of law is upheld in the armed forces.

Story by CCTV NEWS.