Military schools urged to focus on combat training
President Xi Jinping urged the Chinese military’s education systems on Tuesday to make combat training the center of their teachings.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said that military schools were established during wars and that their existence and growth are meant to achieve victory in times of conflict.
Therefore, he said, their teaching and training must be focused on what the military needs to win wars, and they must provide capable human resources to support the effort of building a strong military.
Xi made the remarks as he inspected the Infantry Academy of the People’s Liberation Army Ground Force in Nanchang, Jiangxi province.
The president ordered military schools to move forward in the correct political direction, stick to the Party’s guidance and follow the Party’s thoughts on strengthening the armed forces.
He asked the academy to better understand the characteristics of modern warfare and its role in the PLA Ground Force’s transformation process, and make sure that its graduates are capable of fighting and winning wars.
The academy will improve its long-term planning and adhere to its goals, Xi said, adding it also will continue with reform and innovation and build a strong teaching team.
Before issuing the instructions, Xi met officials and professors at the academy, as well as senior commanders of military units stationed in Jiangxi. He watched a field training session by cadets at the academy who practiced tactical maneuvers and physical endurance skills under tough conditions.
This has been the president’s fourth inspection tour to a military school since he became the military’s commander-in-chief in late 2012. The previous three schools he visited were Beijing’s PLA National Defense University, the National University of Defense Technology in Changsha, Hunan province, and the Special Police College of the Armed Police Force in Beijing.
The Chinese military has 43 military universities, colleges and academies, according to the Defense Ministry.