President Xi Jinping conducted an inspection of the headquarters of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command in Jiangsu Province. During the visit, which marked Xi’s first inspection tour of the command, he emphasized the importance of focusing on the goals for the centenary of the PLA in 2027 and making advancements in theater command development and war preparedness.
As General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, President Xi highlighted the need for vigilance against potential dangers and for the armed forces to fulfill their combat duties. He acknowledged that China’s security situation is facing increasing instability and uncertainty in a world that has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation.
President Xi stressed the importance of the armed forces’ courage and ability to defend national sovereignty, security, and development interests. He also emphasized the need to strengthen Party building in all aspects and enhance the leadership capability of the theater command’s Party committee in terms of combat readiness.
The Eastern Theater Command, which is responsible for safeguarding China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, holds regular warplane and warship exercises and patrols near the island of Taiwan in response to provocations by “Taiwan independence” forces and external interfering forces. These exercises demonstrate the PLA’s determination and capability to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The visit comes at a time when China’s national security is facing increasingly grave challenges, including the US military’s efforts to compete with and contain China, the formation of alliances and cliques targeting China, and increased tensions over issues such as Taiwan and the South China Sea. These challenges have led to the formation of a strategic encirclement around China.
Chinese analysts welcomed President Xi’s emphasis on combat readiness and the PLA’s capability to safeguard national interests. They noted that the global security situation as a whole is deteriorating, citing conflicts in various parts of the world, including the Ukraine crisis.
President Xi has consistently stressed combat readiness in his inspections of military units, underscoring the importance of maintaining stability and creating certainty amid rising uncertainties and challenges in China’s security environment.