Chinese military leaders calls for war-readiness in Parliament

Beijing: Lawmakers from China's People's Liberation Army (PLA), the world's largest military, has called for increased battle preparedness to win wars amid simmering tensions with some of the country's neighbours over maritime disputes.

The 268 representatives of the PLA taking part in the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's Parliament, have discussed the mission and tasks of the armed forces and development of military facilities over the past few days, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

"Our military construction is currently facing an unprecedented historical opportunity with various rigorous challenges existing at the same time. Since the situation is so pressing, it is necessary to build up the armed forces in accordance with the high standards of fighting," said Mo Junpeng, PLA deputy to the NPC.

The 2.3 million-strong PLA, World's largest military, this year got USD 115.7 billion alloted to it in the budget, second only to the United States.

The 10.7 per cent increase comes at a time when the military is rapidly expanding, having recently acquired its first aircraft carrier, in the midst of rising tensions over maritime disputes with Japan and a host of Southeast Asian countries over South China Sea, besides gearing up to face increased US activity in the Asia-Pacific.

Unlike other defence forces, PLA is a part of the ruling Communist Party. It gets a chunk of the representatives in the 3000-strong NPC to represent its interests.

The military leaders wants to ensure that the armed forces is ready when called upon, be able to fight on arrival and be capable of winning battles, resolutely safeguard state sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, and protect the peaceful development of the country, Xinhua reported.

"Being able to fight and win battles is the special ability of the Chinese military," said Junpeng, who is also the commander of a base under the Second Artillery Force (SAF) of the PLA, when speaking of the goal of the military construction.

"For 80-odd years since the founding of the PLA, the fundamental function of the combat force of Chinese military has never changed. Thus, we must adhere to the great tradition of fighting for victory. Only the ability to fight and win battles can keep war at bay," said Junpeng.

Only by keeping in the state of combat readiness like an arrow fitted to the string and ready to shoot, being able to fight and win battles, can we keep war at bay, said Tan Weihong, PLA deputy to the NPC and commander of the 'First Brigade of Conventional Guided Missile'.

"To fight a war, it needs the courage of confronting the tough with toughness. The rule of the battleground is very simple. It can be summed up in four words: Survival of the fittest. Without the ability to fight and win, everything will come to nothing," Weihong warned.

PTI

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