Xi calls for military purity, discipline ahead of PLA centenary

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday called for deepened political rectification within the military, stressing the need to preserve the “purity and glory” of China’s armed forces as the country prepares for a key milestone in the coming years.

Xi, who also serves as General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks while addressing the opening ceremony of a training session for senior military officials at the National Defense University in Beijing.

Highlighting the importance of ideological strength, Xi urged officials to uphold firm belief in Marxism and demonstrate unwavering loyalty to the Party. He emphasised that commitment to Party principles must remain the cornerstone of military leadership, particularly as China approaches the 100th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army in 2027.

Calling for a “fresh political outlook,” Xi said senior officers must take the lead in strengthening intra-party discipline, conducting political activities with sincerity, and fostering a culture of honesty and accountability within the ranks. He warned that corruption and actions driven by personal gain were fundamentally incompatible with the Party’s mission and values.

The Chinese leader also urged military officials to revive and uphold the traditional values of the Party and armed forces, encouraging them to reject bureaucratic attitudes and remain grounded in their role as servants of the people.

Stressing equality before the law, Xi underscored that no individual or institution is above rules and regulations, and that strict enforcement must apply uniformly across all levels of the military.

Expressing confidence in the armed forces, Xi said that with greater unity and discipline under current conditions, the military would be able to “write a new chapter” in building a strong and modern force.

The session was presided over by Zhang Shengmin, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, and forms part of broader efforts to strengthen governance, discipline, and ideological cohesion within China’s military leadership.

Xi urges breakthroughs in service sector to drive China’s high-quality growth

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for renewed efforts to achieve high-quality development in China’s service sector, emphasising innovation, reform, and opening up as key drivers of future economic growth.

Xi, who also serves as General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in instructions delivered to a national conference on the service sector held in Beijing from Tuesday to Wednesday.

Highlighting the sector’s growing importance, Xi noted that since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, China’s service industry has expanded steadily in scale while improving in quality and efficiency. He said it has played a crucial role in supporting industrial upgrading, meeting public needs, and generating employment.

Calling for a demand-driven approach, Xi stressed the need for reform breakthroughs, technological empowerment, and greater international cooperation. He urged authorities to expand capacity and upgrade the quality of services, while pushing producer services toward greater specialization and higher value chains.

He also emphasised the development of high-quality, diverse, and accessible consumer services, alongside efforts to build globally competitive “China Services” brands.

Premier Li Qiang, addressing the conference, said Xi’s instructions outlined the strategic direction and key priorities for the sector. He called for aligning development with changing demographics, rising consumption, and ongoing industrial transformation, while fostering new growth drivers.

Li underscored the importance of advancing the sector’s digitalisation, intelligent transformation, standardisation, integration, and internationalisation. He also stressed improving essential public services, expanding high-end service offerings, and enhancing personalised services, particularly those supporting technology and advanced manufacturing.

Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, in his concluding remarks, urged concrete progress in implementing these priorities. He highlighted the need to boost innovation, reduce costs, improve efficiency, and strengthen market vitality, while ensuring that policies are effectively executed across regions and departments.

According to official data, China’s service sector surpassed 80 trillion yuan (approximately $11.65 trillion) in added value last year, accounting for 57.7% of the country’s GDP and contributing over 61% to economic growth. The sector also provides around half of total employment nationwide.

China’s long-term policy direction, outlined in its latest five-year development framework, commits to deepening reforms, expanding opening up, and strengthening policy support to enhance the sector’s competitiveness. Projections from the National Development and Reform Commission suggest the service sector could exceed 100 trillion yuan in scale between 2026 and 2030, further cementing its role as a pillar of the Chinese economy.