Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered the publication of three new regulations on the internal order of the Army, the code of conduct, and military training. The main objective is to prioritize 'combat readiness as the most important duty' of the Armed Forces, according to state media in the country.
These regulations will come into effect from April 1 and are designed to completely transform the People's Liberation Army (PLA, Chinese army) into world-class armed forces. They will focus on combat preparedness and address concerns of the troops, as reported by the state news agency Xinhua.
The focus of the new regulations will be on improving the management of military personnel, including aspects such as the appearance and conduct of soldiers. Rules will be refined to reward the excellent, punish violators, and add detailed practice codes for military parades.
The goal of these provisions is to promote a more standardized order in combat readiness, training, operations, and daily life of the troops. The emphasis will be on being prepared for war and engaging in combat, according to Xinhua's reports.
These new regulations have been approved at a time of increasing tensions, especially between China and Taiwan, which the Chinese government considers a 'rebel province,' as well as with the Philippines in the South China Sea. Xi Jinping, who also chairs the Central Military Commission, has urged the modernization of the Chinese army to reduce the gap with the United States and prepare for possible confrontations.
Additionally, in 2022 he reiterated China's commitment to 'peaceful reunification' with Taiwan, although he did not rule out the use of force. However, recently sources cited by the Financial Times have expressed that anti-corruption investigations in the PLA are raising doubts about China's capacity to invade Taiwan by 2027, a goal attributed to the Chinese leader.
