Party Leadership over Army Never to be Shaken: Chi

PLA Celebrates 74th Anniversary

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The 74-year history of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has proved that the absolute leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) over the army should never be shaken at any time or under any circumstances, senior military official Chi Haotian said Tuesday.

Speaking at a reception marking the 74th anniversary of the founding of the PLA, Chi, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), defense minister and state councilor, said that the Party's absolute leadership over the army is a "fundamental guarantee" for the army's steady growth and continual success.

"It is also the fundamental principle to be followed in building up the PLA in the new era, and a principle that we should never deviate from at any time or under any circumstances," he said.

The red-letter day came just after the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the CPC, Chi said, noting that, created by the CPC itself, the army has made enduring historic contributions to the founding of the People's Republic, and has also weathered through various severe tests and made remarkable contributions to the defense and development of the New China under the leadership of the CPC.

At an rally in celebration of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the CPC, Jiang Zemin, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, profoundly expounded the rationale of his important thinking on Party building, Chi said.

Jiang's new theory "is a guiding ideology for the building of both our Party and our army," he stressed, pledging that "we must redouble our efforts to improve the political education of our commanders and soldiers so that they will have lofty ideas and firm faith and so that our Party organizations at all levels will increase their cohesiveness and combat capabilities."

"In this way," Chi continued, "we will be able to ensure that the entire PLA will be able to ... maintain the authority of the CPC Central Committee and the CMC with Comrade Jiang Zemin at the core, and forever obey the command of the Party."

In today's world, peace and development remain the main themes of the times, said the military leader, stressing that "conflicts and even local wars caused by various factors have kept cropping up and the world is far from tranquil."

"We must size up the situation, heighten our morale and make unremitting efforts for all-round military modernization, so as to effectively take on the historical mission of the new century," he said.

On the Taiwan issue, Chi said that "it is in the fundamental interests of the Chinese Nation to solve the Taiwan question and realize China's reunification."

"We will persistently stick to the basic principles of ' peaceful reunification' and 'one country, two systems,' as well as guidelines set forth by President Jiang and try our best for a peaceful resolution of the Taiwan Question," he noted.

He also reiterated China's long-standing stance that "we will never renounce the use of force, nor will we allow any foreign forces to intervene in Taiwan affairs."

"All schemes to hinder China's reunification are doomed to fail, " he said.

Chi said that China will continue to pursue an independent foreign policy of peace and uphold the five principles of peaceful co-existence.

The PLA will actively engage in military exchanges with other countries and work with them for enhanced mutual understanding, friendship and cooperation as well as for continued regional and world peace, stability and development, Chi said.