Strong grip of Chinese communist party on the Chinese defence forces is

Beijing: While appealing to the defence forces to be prepared for any war and new challenges, President Xi Jinping reiterated that the ruling communist party needs to have a strong grip on the defence forces. Since the last few years, President Jinping is appealing to the defence forces to be loyal to the Chinese communist party and to take orders only from the party. As per analysts, along with the need to keep the country in his grip, Jinping also wants the military under his control, to face the people’s discontent and instability.

President Jinping warned that the Chinese defence forces must be loyal to the ruling communist party saying ‘The ordinary soldiers who are the basic unit of the Chinese military have to face new circumstances and changes during various campaigns. They include arrangement of the military Units and daily routines, along with the Social systems. The units of ordinary soldiers at the lowest level, in the military, is the building block of the defence forces. If discipline and strength have to be inculcated in them, they have to be under the firm control of the communist party.’

While speaking regarding the grip on the defence forces, President Jinping talked about the anti-corruption campaign started by him. In 2013, after becoming the President, Jinping began to an extensive campaign against corruption. The baton of action was raised against more than 200,000 leaders and military during the campaign. These also included senior officials in the Chinese military. While talking about this campaign, he said that this scheme needs to be extended to the lowest-ranked soldiers in the military.

Analysts and researchers connected to China had said that this campaign started by Jinping was a ploy to finish the opposition. Reports of discontent in the lower ranks of the Chinese military over salary and other issues have surfaced over the last few years. Therefore, it is believed that this could be an attempt by President Jinping to quell the discontent by extending the anti-corruption campaign to the lowest-ranked soldiers in the Chinese military. Last year, even when questions were being raised on Jinping’s leadership, Jinping had raised this issue of communist party’s control over the defence forces.

President Xi Jinping had appealed to the defence forces to remain loyal to the communist party saying ‘The leadership of the Chinese communist party needs to be established in the Chinese military. Care should be taken that the Chinese military always remains under the complete control of the communist party. The loyalty of the military to the communist party has to be the basis of this control.’

China ranks second in terms of the total defence expenditure and in 2019, this country has presented a defence budget of $170 billion. During the National Day celebrations too, the Chinese military had demonstrated its might with the display of advanced missiles, drones and stealth aircraft. Before that, at the beginning of this year, President Jinping had appealed to the military to be prepared to face sudden threats.