Chinese army urged to be combat ready

A senior Chinese military official has called on the armed forces to strengthen combat preparedness and ensure victories in wars, reports Xinhua.

Fan Changlong, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), made the remarks during an inspection tour of troops in east China's Jiangsu, Fujian and Zhejiang provinces.

The army should always maintain its readiness and fighting abilities to ensure victory, Fan said.

He urged all military staff to comprehend and implement the key points conveyed in a speech by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the CMC.

"Military officers and soldiers must be absolutely loyal, pure and reliable, and firmly follow the directions...," Fan said.

He urged military staff to step up training, especially in complex situations such as electromagnetic environment and field operations.

Training must be strict and targeted to meet real wartime needs rather than a show, he said. - IANS