Chinese military leaders urge war readiness in message to troops ahead of Lunar New Year

During visits to PLA units, top-ranked CMC vice-chairmen pledge to fight corruption and strengthen combat abilities

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Chinese President Xi Jinping (front, centre) poses with officers and soldiers of the PLA’s Northern Theatre Command on Friday. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 6:09pm, 27 Jan 2025

Top Chinese military officials pledged to fight corruption and strengthen war readiness while visiting People’s Liberation Army troops ahead of Lunar New Year.

General Zhang Youxia, first-ranked vice-chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission (CMC), China’s top military decision-making body, recently inspected a unit of the Information Support Force in the northeastern city of Shenyang, state news agency Xinhua reported on Sunday.

General He Weidong, the second-ranked vice-chairman of the CMC, visited troops stationed in Beijing last week, according to another Xinhua report.

The visits by the country’s No 2 and No 3 military officials are part of a tradition of extending greetings to the troops before the holiday, also known as Spring Festival, which falls on Wednesday.

President Xi Jinping, who chairs the CMC, inspected the PLA’s Northern Theatre Command, headquartered in Shenyang, on Friday. He was accompanied by Zhang. While there, Xi extended Lunar New Year greetings to the troops and called for maintaining national security and social stability.

At the Information Support Force unit, Zhang called for the “continued deepening of political rectification”, referring to efforts to improve political conduct and loyalty within the military.

“[We should] strengthen discipline, enforce rules … further solidifying the political character of following the [Communist] Party’s command and loyalty to the party,” Zhang said, according to the report.