Chinese President Hu Jintao has urged the nation's military to firmly adhere to the communist leadership, state press said Tuesday, underscoring the ruling party's direct leadership over the army.
"We must strictly abide by political and organisational discipline and ensure that the army under all conditions and at all times firmly obeys the orders of the party's central committee," the People's Daily quoted Hu as saying.
"We must grasp the banner, obey the fundamental tenet of following the orders of the party, and firmly arm our officers and soldiers with Marxism with Chinese characteristics."
Hu was speaking to military delegates at the ongoing annual session of the National People's Congress in his capacity of China's commander-in-chief. Contrary to the practice of modern states, China's military is directly controlled by the ruling Communist Party, a situation that developed last century following civil war and revolution.
Hu further urged the military to carry out its ongoing modernisation and build a joint military command capable of mounting a combined force involving the army, navy and air force, the paper said.
Last week, China announced its 2007 defence budget of 350.9 billion yuan (about 45 billion dollars) - up by 17.8 percent over last year - that is expected to be approved by the ongoing parliamentary meeting on Friday. China has increased its military spending by double digits nearly every year over the past 15 years, including 14.7 percent last year and 12.6 percent in 2005.
The nation's rapidly modernising military has caused concern abroad, especially with the US, which has voiced fears that Beijing is building up its armed forces in order to reunify Taiwan by force.