Zhang Shude: Innovative Development of National Defense Modernization in the New Era

The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC made specific arrangements for "achieving the centenary goal of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and opening up a new landscape for the modernization of national defense and the armed forces." It proposed that "achieving the centenary goal of the PLA on schedule and accelerating the building of the people’s armed forces into a world-class military is a strategic requirement for building a Jing-level socialist modernized country in all respects." The relevant important expositions of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the arrangements of the 20th National Congress fully demonstrate that our country is not only advancing Chinese-path modernization in economic and social fields but also comprehensively advancing modernization in the military sphere simultaneously. This is an indispensable component of the mission and tasks of the Communist Party of China on the journey of the New Era. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has gained profound insight into the general trends of the era, firmly grasped historical initiative, and led China’s national defense and military construction through grand and unique practical innovations. The modernization of national defense and the armed forces has set sail with remarkable achievements, forming a rich and profound body of important expositions from General Secretary Xi Jinping on the modernization of national defense and the armed forces.

I. Comprehensively Summarizing Historical Experience and Profoundly Grasping the Developmental Course of National Defense and Military Modernization

To use history as a mirror and create the future, we must accelerate the modernization of national defense and the armed forces. The people’s military has established immortal merits for the Party and the people; it is the strong pillar for defending the Red Image (hóngsè jiāngshān) ^[1], safeguarding national dignity, and a powerful force for maintaining regional and world peace. Looking back at history, accelerating the modernization of national defense and armed forces has been the unswerving pursuit of our Party. A strong country must have a strong military, and only a strong military can ensure national security—this is a painful lesson learned from the history of modern China being backward and subjected to bullying ^[2], and it is also vital experience gained as the Chinese nation welcomes the historical leap from standing up and becoming prosperous to becoming strong. In every historical period, our Party has always taken the realization of national defense and military modernization as a goal pursued with tireless effort. Based on the strategic security environment and the actual situation of the country and the military, the Party has scientifically analyzed the characteristics and laws of national defense and military construction, profoundly grasped the laws of national defense construction, and always insisted on placing the modernization of national defense and the armed forces in an important position within the overall cause of the Party and the state. It has scientifically calibrated the direction of development and the key points for breakthroughs in military modernization, putting in arduous efforts and achieving great successes.

Since the founding of New China, the CPC has formed, developed, and continuously improved its thinking on national defense and military modernization. Xi Jinping Thought on Strengthening the Military and General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions on the modernization of national defense and the armed forces are in the same lineage. Throughout the historical process of our Party leading the cause of military modernization, whenever the operation of the military system hindered or restricted the military’s combat effectiveness, our Party would take the "knife" to "stumbling blocks" such as conceptual barriers, vested interests, and managerial shackles that deviated from military modernization. After the founding of New China, during the period of socialist revolution and construction, it was particularly important to take a new path for the modernization of national defense and the armed forces. During this period, the level of modernization was relatively low, and military supplies and weaponry were backward. The direction of effort was to utilize all available resources and conditions to upgrade the level of modernization, eventually bringing the military's material conditions and political literacy to an advanced level. To this end, the Central Military Commission implemented the strategy of military streamlining and reorganization four times. In the process of guiding our military’s development, Mao Zedong emphasized the construction of combined arms forces and required accelerating the construction of the Navy, Air Force, and other technical branches; major breakthroughs were achieved as the military moved toward modernization and regularization. Mao Zedong also attached great importance to the immense role of military theory in revealing the laws of war and guiding modernization. He approved plans to "reconstruct or build a batch of various academies suitable for training modern combat personnel based on the schools founded during the war years." The important content regarding military modernization within Mao Zedong Thought provided crucial guidance for winning a precious peaceful environment, served as an important guarantee for our country’s socialist construction, enhanced national strength, and raised China’s international status.

Entering the new period of reform, opening up, and socialist modernization, Deng Xiaoping insisted on regarding the enhancement of national defense strength and the successful performance of the military's central work as an important part of increasing comprehensive national strength and carrying out modernization. This was an important guarantee for realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the country's move toward prosperity, as well as an intrinsic requirement of modernization. Deng Xiaoping also viewed the modernization of science and technology as a goal to strive for, emphasizing that "modern science and technology are undergoing a great revolution" and that "of the four modernizations, the key is the modernization of science and technology." The important content of Deng Xiaoping Theory regarding binary modernization gave new vitality and combat effectiveness to national defense construction, laying the foundation for the continuous development of military modernization and pushing it toward a new stage. In the process of leading these efforts, Jiang Zemin inherited the thoughts and theories of Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping. Based on new temporal characteristics and guided by the Theory of Three Represents, he addressed modernization issues under new circumstances, proposing: "Building a solid national defense is a strategic task of our country’s modernization, and an important guarantee for maintaining national security and unity and building a moderately prosperous society in all respects." He precisely analyzed the position of military modernization within the overall framework of socialist modernization, reaching a brand-new ideological understanding of the cause. Hu Jintao implemented and enriched the relevant thoughts and theories of the Party's successive leadership collectives. Based on the new global, national, and Party conditions of the 21st century, he proposed using the Scientific Outlook on Development to guide modernization in the new period, forming a theory of national defense and military modernization with the characteristics of the times, which laid the theoretical foundation for developing the Party's military thought in the 21st century.

Realizing the modernization of national defense and the armed forces is an important guarantee for achieving Chinese-path modernization. Since the 18th National Congress, Xi Jinping, with an eye toward advancing the cause of strengthening the military in the New Era, has always considered national defense and military construction within the context of the goal of achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. He has weighed it within the context of winning the great struggle with many new historical characteristics, and planned it within the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan and the Four Comprehensives. He established a grand design for top-level planning, a grand vision for transformation and leaping forward, and a grand strategy for building and governing the military, guiding the cause of modernization in the New Era toward a new landscape. In October 2017, the 19th National Congress was victoriously convened, making strategic arrangements for the comprehensive buildup of a great modern socialist country. In October 2022, the 20th National Congress incorporated national defense and military modernization into the overall strategic layout of Chinese-path modernization and the overall process of building a socialist modernized country. It clearly proposed that achieving the centenary goal of the PLA on schedule and accelerating the building of the people’s armed forces into a world-class military is a strategic requirement for building a socialist modernized country in all respects. Xi Jinping integrated military strengthening into the overall situation of national rejuvenation, proposing a clear roadmap, timetable, and mission statement for taking the path of strengthening the military with Chinese characteristics. He specified the achievement of the centenary goal of the PLA by 2027, the basic realization of national defense and military modernization by 2035, and the comprehensive construction of a world-class military by the middle of this century, achieving a resonance between military modernization and the advancement of Chinese-path modernization.

As socialism with Chinese characteristics entered the New Era, our Party, with great political courage, comprehensively deepened reform, achieving historical changes, systematic reshaping, and overall reconstruction in many fields, injecting an inexhaustible source of power into military modernization. At the ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC, Xi Jinping systematically expounded on the "nine musts"—the experiences, enlightenments, and fundamental requirements that must be firmly grasped to use history as a mirror and create the future. One of these is that "we must accelerate the modernization of national defense and the armed forces." In the same year, the Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century profoundly pointed out that we must build a solid national defense and a powerful people’s military that is commensurate with our country’s international status and suited to our national security and development interests. The report of the 20th National Congress established a dedicated section to elaborate on "achieving the centenary goal of the PLA and opening up a new landscape for the modernization of national defense and the armed forces." As the world experiences the transition between old and new patterns, orders, and systems, the international strategic landscape is undergoing deep adjustment, and competition between developmental paths and models is becoming more intense. Our country is in a critical stage of moving from being large to being strong; it is closer than ever to realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, but also faces unprecedented risks and challenges. The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation will by no means be achieved easily through "the beating of drums and gongs" ^[3]; we must be prepared to withstand high winds, surging waves, and even perilous stormy seas. Advancing the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation through Chinese-path modernization requires the powerful support of national defense and military modernization.

II. Accurately Grasping the Laws and Scientifically Calibrating the Essence and Core Meaning of National Defense and Military Modernization

As socialism with Chinese characteristics enters the New Era, the connotation and extension, internal and external factors, and the spatial-temporal background of national security have undergone profound changes. The Party and the people have entrusted the people’s military with missions and tasks for the New Era. The "strength" of the ability to strengthen the military and win battles relies on the "high quality" of development. By prioritizing high-quality development, unswervingly pushing forward the modernization of national defense and the armed forces, and continuously upgrading the modernization of military theory, military organizational forms, military personnel, and weaponry, we can enhance our strategic capability to defend national sovereignty, security, and development interests. Effectively performing the missions and tasks of the people’s military in the New Era and striving to create a new landscape for military modernization will provide a strong strategic support for the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Since the 18th National Congress, Xi Jinping has delivered a series of important expositions concerning strengthening and reviving the military, proposing a series of major strategic thoughts, theoretical viewpoints, and decision-making arrangements. He has scientifically answered the questions of the era: "Under whose command does the people’s military fall, and how can the soul of the military be forged?" "Why strengthen the military, and how?" and "What kind of wars to fight, and how to win them?" thereby forming a systematic and complete theoretical system. Xi Jinping emphasized that since the 19th National Congress, the Party Central Committee and the Central Military Commission have made new strategic plans and arrangements for military modernization. We must persist in building the military politically, strengthening the military through reform, technology, and talent, and governing the military by law. We must comprehensively advance the modernization of military theory, organizational forms, personnel, and weaponry, accelerate the integrated development of mechanization, informatization, and intelligentization, and comprehensively strengthen military training and war preparedness to ensure the fulfillment of goals and tasks. The author believes that, on this basis, General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on the modernization of national defense and the armed forces are extremely rich in innovative connotations, and their essence can be grasped from the following five aspects.

(1) We must persist in the Party’s absolute leadership over the modernization of national defense and the armed forces.

The principle that "the Party commands the gun" and leads the construction of a modern national defense and modern military is an unbreakable truth derived by the Party through struggles of blood and fire. Xi Jinping pointed out: "On the road ahead, the people’s military must firmly uphold the Party’s absolute leadership, treating this as the soul of the military that can never change and the lifeblood that can never be lost. At all times and under all circumstances, it must take the Party’s flag as its flag, the Party’s direction as its direction, and the Party’s will as its will." This important exposition clarifies the extreme importance of the Party's absolute leadership over the military, defines the highest political requirements and absolute standards for the people’s military, and reveals the correct direction for advancing modernization. This is the essential requirement of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on military modernization. The fundamental principle and system of the Party's absolute leadership over the military began with the Nanchang Uprising, was grounded in the Sanwan Reorganization, and took its final shape at the Gutian Conference; it is the political characteristic and fundamental advantage that completely distinguishes the people’s military from all old-style militaries. Through long-term practice, our Party has created a series of systems for absolute leadership, such as the system of the Chairman of the Central Military Commission assuming full responsibility, the Party committee system, the political commissar system, and the political department system. Since the 18th National Congress, Xi Jinping has insisted on combining Marxist military principles with China’s specific reality and fine traditional culture, and with the conditions of the world, the country, the Party, and the military. He has correctly answered the questions regarding military construction posed by the times and has developed and improved the military leadership system with Chinese characteristics, providing an important guarantee for modernization.

The report of the 20th National Congress pointed out that from this day forward, the central task of the CPC is to unite and lead the people of all ethnic groups in realizing the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and to advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through Chinese-path modernization. The modernization of national defense and the armed forces is an important component of Chinese-path modernization; building a modernized defense and military is an indispensable link in realizing the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Under the new situation, advancing modernization under the Party's leadership is an internal requirement for the development of the people’s military, and even more so a necessary requirement for realizing the Chinese Dream. The report of the 20th National Congress centered on...

"Ensuring that the gun always follows the Party's command" provides a comprehensive deployment for all tasks of Party building within the military. These deployments concern the nature, purpose, and character of the people's army, as well as the new great project of Party building in the New Era. They reflect our Party’s far-reaching considerations focused on strengthening and consolidating fundamental political advantages. Only by following the Party's command can the military ensure it moves upon hearing the order and acts upon receiving the command. To fulfill the missions and tasks of the New Era, we must persist in the Party’s absolute leadership over the people’s army and deeply implement the strategy of strengthening the military through reform. We must fully implement the series of fundamental principles and systems of the Party leading the people’s army, and firmly establish the guiding position of Xi Jinping Thought on Strengthening the Military in the modernization of national defense and the armed forces. We must constantly strengthen the "Four Consciousnesses," ^[4] bolster the "Four Confidences," ^[5] and achieve the "Two Upholds." We must unswervingly maintain the authority of the Party Central Committee, maintain the core, and maintain and implement the Chairperson of the Central Military Commission responsibility system. ^[6] We must consistently maintain a high degree of unity with the Party Central Committee, the Central Military Commission (CMC), and Chairman Xi, and resolutely follow the commands of the Party Central Committee, the CMC, and Chairman Xi. We must deeply study the series of new ideas, viewpoints, judgments, and requirements put forward by our Party since the 18th National Congress ^[7] regarding national defense and military construction, continuously enhancing the combat effectiveness, cohesion, and influence of the people's army to provide a powerful guarantee for the realization of national defense and military modernization.

(2) Consistently ensuring that national defense and military modernization are promoted around the overall situation

In long-term practice, our Party has insisted on placing national defense and military modernization in an important position within the overall cause of the Party and the state, exerting arduous efforts and achieving great accomplishments. Xi Jinping has led the people’s army to always focus on goal-orientation, insisting on considering national defense and military modernization within the supreme interests of the state, the nation, and the people. He has planned it within the strategic layout of national modernization across various periods and mapped it out within the process of strengthening the country and the military. By aligning the goals of national defense and military modernization with the positioning of national modernization goals in different periods, he ensures that national defense and military modernization move in the same direction, with concerted efforts and synchronized development alongside national modernization.

First, ensuring that national defense and military modernization move in the same direction as national modernization. Xi Jinping emphasizes the need to always adhere to the goals set by the Party to lead national defense and military modernization, ensuring the two move in tandem. The report to the 20th National Congress put forward the central task and clarified the target orientation of national modernization in the New Era, marking the era’s coordinates for national defense and military modernization—comprehensively promoting the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. National defense and military modernization is an important component of national modernization, and its strategic goals must be consistent with the strategic goals of national modernization development.

Second, ensuring that national defense and military modernization work in concerted effort with national modernization. Entering the New Era, Xi Jinping made new arrangements for the strategic goals of national defense and military modernization based on the development goals of national modernization. In his report to the 19th National Congress, he explicitly proposed: "In keeping with the process of national modernization, we will comprehensively promote the modernization of military theory, organizational forms, military personnel, and weaponry and equipment. We will strive to basically achieve the modernization of national defense and the armed forces by 2035, and fully build the people's army into a world-class military by the middle of this century." The report to the 20th National Congress stated: "Achieving the centenary goal of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army on schedule and accelerating the building of the people's army into a world-class military are strategic requirements for comprehensively building a modern socialist country." It also identified building the people’s army into a world-class military as the strategic goal for national defense and military modernization by the middle of the 21st century, providing a clear objective and direction for progress.

Third, ensuring the synchronized development of national defense and military modernization with national modernization. Our Party has always focused on planning steps and paths to ensure that national defense and military modernization develop in synchronization with national modernization. Since the 18th National Congress, Xi Jinping has issued a series of important instructions, put forward a series of important thoughts, and made a series of major deployments, forming a scientific guide and fundamental follow-through for promoting national defense and military modernization in the New Era. The 19th National Congress made new strategic arrangements for comprehensively promoting national defense and military modernization, proposing to basically achieve mechanization by 2020, make major progress in informatization, and significantly enhance strategic capabilities; strive to basically achieve national defense and military modernization by 2035, and fully build the people’s army into a world-class military by the middle of this century. This strategic plan moved the realization of the third step of the original "three-step" development strategy forward by a full 15 years. It can be seen that this "three-step" development plan is consistent with the steps of the Chinese-path modernization goals, ensuring that the "roadmaps" for military and national modernization have the same coordinate positioning and path of advance.

(3) Focusing on the drive for combat to ensure the people’s army is capable of its mission

"Being able to fight and win" is the responsibility of the military. This dictates that all military work must revolve around this focus and determines the ultimate landing point of national defense and military modernization.

First, focusing on "being able to fight and win" requires leadership to promote modernization. Since the 18th National Congress, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has consistently insisted on leading national defense and military modernization with the goal of "being able to fight and win." "Military construction must take the improvement of combat effectiveness as its starting point and landing point, focusing on the requirements of being able to fight and win. Once a war occurs, the military must be able to fight the decisive battle and win. If the army cannot win on the battlefield, it will produce serious political consequences." He requires that "the development of high-tech weaponry and equipment be placed in a strategic position, increasing construction efforts, focusing on developing 'assassin’s mace' ^[8] weaponry that can effectively defeat the enemy, striving to break through core key technologies, and optimizing the structural system of weaponry and equipment." In deploying the task to "achieve the centenary goal of the founding of the PLA and open up a new situation for the modernization of national defense and the armed forces," the report to the 20th National Congress proposed: "Persist in simultaneous struggle, combat readiness, and construction; persist in the integrated development of mechanization, informatization, and intelligentization; accelerate the modernization of military theory, organizational forms, military personnel, and weaponry and equipment; improve the strategic capability to defend national sovereignty, security, and development interests; and effectively fulfill the missions and tasks of the people’s army in the New Era." This provides the strategic planning and layout for national defense and military modernization centered on "being able to fight and win."

Second, focusing on the trends of world military development to promote modernization. Entering the New Era, Xi Jinping has always insisted on looking at problems from an overall perspective and with a long-term vision—looking at today's world, looking at future development, and basing actions on current reality to promote national defense and military modernization. Facing the new round of scientific and technological development and the evolution of the world's military revolution, and based on the profound influence of informatization and intelligentization on the military theory, forms of war, and styles of combat in modern warfare, Xi Jinping pointed out: "We must closely follow the trend of the accelerated development of the world’s new military transformation, promote military transformation with Chinese characteristics, and strive to build a modern system of military forces with Chinese characteristics." The report to the 19th National Congress, looking at the development trends of the world military revolution, the security challenges facing the country, and the reality of military modernization construction, clarified the goal to "strive to basically achieve modernization of national defense and the armed forces by 2035, and fully build the people’s army into a world-class military by the middle of this century." It also clarified the direction of "comprehensively promoting the modernization of military theory, organizational forms, military personnel, and weaponry and equipment," providing a theoretical basis and fundamental guide for planning national defense and military modernization at a new historical starting point.

(4) Persisting in independence and self-strengthening to blaze a characteristic path for national defense and military modernization

Xi Jinping has always insisted on basing actions on China's specific realities, emphasizing independence and self-strengthening, and guiding the opening and expansion of a new path for national defense and military modernization that is viable, effective, and swift. "Building a house on someone else's foundation, no matter how large or beautiful it is, may not withstand wind and rain, and may even be fragile." If we can only imitate the "modernization development model" of the world's military powers and measure the results of China's military modernization according to their "modernization standards," it will inevitably result in an "altogether-misfit" ^[9] situation and may even fall into the "traps" preset by the enemy.

First, proceeding from China’s national and military conditions, and persisting in seeking truth from facts—starting from reality in everything—is the fundamental attitude and logical starting point for the CPC to promote national defense and military modernization. This stipulates that China’s military modernization cannot copy the development models and experiences of Western countries, nor can it follow behind military powers to buy equipment or imitate manufacturing. It must be based on China's specific national and military conditions, achieving self-reliance and self-strengthening to independently develop modern equipment. Xi Jinping Thought on Strengthening the Military uses the Marxist worldview and methodology to analyze contemporary issues in China’s national defense and military construction. It persists in our Party’s consistent fundamental strategy for building and managing the military, fully absorbs the essence of excellent traditional Chinese military culture and the outstanding achievements of world military development, and profoundly elucidates major theoretical issues such as the goal of strengthening the military in the New Era, the military's missions and tasks, the construction layout, strategic guidance, the inevitable path, powerful impetus, methods of governance, and development paths. It has realized the Sinicization and modernization of Marxist military theory, always insisting on starting from specific realities and focusing on doing our own things well to guide the promotion of our country’s national defense and military modernization.

Second, promoting self-reliance and self-strengthening in science and technology, especially military technology. At present, the global changes unseen in a century are accelerating, a new round of technological and industrial revolutions is in full swing, the new military revolution is accelerating, and the forms and methods of war are undergoing profound changes. The factors affecting the outcome of war are becoming more complex and diverse. In this era, it is even more necessary to adhere to the strategy of strengthening the military through science and technology, placing innovation in national defense technology in a more prominent position. We must seek combat effectiveness from technological innovation, making science and technology the most active and revolutionary factor in military modernization. The practice of China's military modernization shows that without independent scientific and technological innovation, one will be controlled by others, and national modernization will lack solid support. Only by persisting in independence, self-reliance, and self-strengthening, and creating our own national defense technology and unique advanced weaponry, can we grasp the initiative in military modernization and struggle, ensuring the people's army remains invincible forever.

Third, correctly handling the relationship between independent innovation and absorbing advanced experience. Since the 18th National Congress, Xi Jinping has focused on how to build a new type of people's army that is "able to fight and win," utilizing the theoretical results and practical experience formed by our Party in long-term revolution and construction, combined with the characteristics and key technologies of today’s era, to powerfully promote the historical process of military modernization.

(5) Emphasizing scientific advancement to continuously enhance the quality and efficiency of national defense and military modernization

Since the 18th National Congress, our Party has placed greater emphasis on promoting the coordinated development of national defense and military modernization. Based on "winning local wars characterized by informatization and intelligentization," Xi Jinping explicitly required the "consolidation and improvement of the integrated national strategic system and capabilities. We must strengthen the coordination of strategic planning between military and civilian sectors, the connection of policies and systems, and the sharing of resources. We must optimize the system and layout of the national defense science and technology industry, and strengthen its capacity building," as well as "consolidate and develop the unity between the military, the government, and the people." It is precisely by persisting in blazing a path of military-civilian integration ^[10] with Chinese characteristics that we have promoted the coordinated, balanced, and compatible development of economic and national defense construction, ensuring the high-quality development of military modernization.

First, emphasizing the integrated development of national defense and military modernization. A very important issue in promoting military modernization is adapting national defense construction to the national development strategy, ensuring they develop in coordination. At the plenary meeting of the People’s Liberation Army delegation during the third session of the 12th National People's Congress, Xi Jinping issued important instructions on deeply implementing the strategy of military-civilian integration, creatively elevating it to a national strategy. The 19th National Congress pointed out: "We must persist in the unity of enriching the country and strengthening the military, strengthen unified leadership, top-level design, reform and innovation, and the implementation of major projects, deepen the reform of the national defense science and technology industry, form a pattern of deep development for military-civilian integration, and build an integrated national strategic system and power." This is a major strategic consideration put forward by the CPC in the New Era, proceeding from the world military situation, national development, security threats, and military realities. It is an important strategic arrangement for the coordinated development of economic and national defense construction, providing a strategic solution for solving problems in military-civilian integration.

Second, emphasizing the high-quality development of national defense and military modernization.

In 2015, at the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, Xi Jinping announced that China would reduce its military personnel by 300,000. This round of military reform primarily involved adjusting the Central Military Commission (CMC) headquarters system into a multi-department system under the CMC, shifting from the original four general departments to 15 functional departments. It restructured the theater commands, adjusting the seven major military regions into five theater commands (East, West, South, North, and Central). It established the Army Leading Organ, the Rocket Force, and the Strategic Support Force. It adjusted and optimized the military structure: the 18 group armies of the Army were reorganized into 13, and the brigade-battalion system became the basic operational module, further strengthening the combat power of the various services and branches. It established and improved a system of socialist military policies and institutions with Chinese characteristics, ensuring the total strength of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) remains at 2 million personnel. This round of national defense and military reform established a new pattern where the CMC exercises overall leadership, theater commands focus on combat, and the services focus on construction ^[11]. It achieved a comprehensive reshaping of the organizational form of the people's army, significantly increasing the level of national defense and military modernization.

Third, emphasis is placed on the coordinated development of national defense and military modernization. Only by adhering to strategic coordination, scientific guidance, and breakthroughs in key areas can overall development be promoted. The strategic arrangements for national defense and military modernization made by the 19th National Congress of the CPC possess three prominent characteristics: First, they are adapted to the national modernization development strategy, coordinating military construction with economic construction, which fully reflects the law of development that unifies a strong military with a strong country. Second, based on the new achievements in national defense and military modernization, the goal of basically achieving modernization was moved forward to 2035. Third, the goal for national defense and military modernization by the middle of this century was defined as "fully building a world-class military," bringing China's national defense and military modernization in line with global military modernization. Both the reports of the 19th and 20th National Congresses of the CPC proposed objectives and content for the modernization of national defense and the military, specifically embodied in the comprehensive promotion of the modernization of military theory, military organizational forms, military personnel, and weaponry and equipment. "Fully building a world-class military" is the strategic goal to be achieved by the middle of this century. Determining the strategic goals for national defense and military modernization is the primary link in strategic planning and decision-making. It must be based on global trends in science and technology, national development strategies, national security strategies, and military strategic guidelines. We must unify the present with the long term, requirements with capabilities, goals with means, and planning with action, taking proactive steps and progressing steadily.

III. Conforming to the Requirements of the Times: Comprehensively Grasping the Grand Blueprint for National Defense and Military Modernization

A country cannot stand without defense, and a people cannot rest without an army. National defense is an important guarantee for national survival and development. Facing today's complex international situation and severe peripheral environment, China must have strong national defense capabilities as a safeguard to seize the initiative and remain invincible amidst intense economic competition and political and military struggles. At the rally celebrating the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Xi Jinping pointed out: "Our national defense is a defense for all the people, and promoting the modernization of national defense and the military is the common cause of the entire Party and the whole people." On the new journey of the New Era, Xi Jinping’s earnest instructions act like a lighthouse, guiding our direction. On this new journey, we must fully adhere to and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Strengthening the Military and the military strategic guidelines for the New Era. We must uphold the Party's absolute leadership over the people's army, persist in the path of strengthening the military with Chinese characteristics, and comprehensively promote the building of the military through politics, reform, science and technology, and talent, as well as governing the military according to law. We must build the people's army into a world-class military, defending national sovereignty, security, and development interests with stronger capabilities and more reliable means. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee pointed out that national defense and military modernization are important components of Chinese-path modernization. It also stated that we must uphold the Party's absolute leadership over the people's army and deeply implement the strategy of strengthening the military through reform to provide a powerful guarantee for achieving the centenary goal of military building (建军一百年奋斗目标) on schedule and basically achieving national defense and military modernization. Continuously deepening our understanding, improving our strategy, and enriching our practice in promoting national defense and military modernization is of great significance for "running at a high speed" ^[12] in our New Era struggle to strengthen the military and winning the tough battle to achieve the centenary goal.

(i) National defense and military modernization are the important foundation for maintaining national security and stability

During the "13th Five-Year Plan" period, China became the world's second-largest economy; its economic strength, scientific and technological prowess, and comprehensive national power reached new heights. However, due to various factors, China's national defense strength did not yet match its economic development or its international status and security strategy requirements. Currently, the "great changes unseen in a century" are accelerating; various factors are intertwined, the international situation is complex, and domestic tasks for reform, development, and stability are arduous and heavy. Uncertainty and instability in the security situation have increased. To match national defense strength with economic strength and improve the strategic capability to defend national sovereignty, security, and development interests, accelerating national defense and military modernization has become an inevitable choice. In today's world, a new round of scientific, technological, and military revolutions is developing rapidly. The trends toward precision, intelligence, stealth, and unmanned weaponry are becoming more evident, and the form of warfare is accelerating its evolution toward informatization, with "intelligentized" (智能化) warfare beginning to emerge. Characterized by "information dominance, systemic support, precision operations, and victory through integration," integrated joint operations based on networked information systems have become the basic operational style. Major countries around the world are adjusting their security strategies, military strategies, and military organizational forms, developing new types of combat forces to seize the strategic high ground of military competition. Only by accelerating the pace of national defense and military modernization can we win the initiative in fierce international military competition. Based on this, the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee made strategic deployments for accelerating national defense and military modernization, clearly proposing to "ensure the achievement of the centenary goal of military building in 2027." This is a major strategic design made by the Party Central Committee, coordinating the "two big pictures" ^[13] and centering on the Party's goal of strengthening the military in the New Era, providing strategic guidance for achieving the phased tasks of national defense and military modernization. From shifts in phrasing—from "comprehensively promoting" and "continuously promoting" to "accelerating the promotion"—the urgency of national defense and military modernization has become increasingly prominent, requiring further improvements in quality and speed. The current and future periods are critical for comprehensively promoting the construction of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese-path modernization. Advancing Chinese-path modernization is an unprecedented and pioneering undertaking that will inevitably encounter various predictable and unpredictable risks, challenges, difficulties, and obstacles. Military means are an important guarantee for realizing the Great Dream; military struggle is an important aspect of the Great Struggle ^[14]; and "the ability to win" is the strategic capability for maintaining national security. We must keep pace with global military development trends, grasp the national security strategic requirements of the New Era, and vigorously promote national defense and military modernization.

(ii) National defense and military modernization are the inevitable requirements for accelerating innovation in defense science and technology

Xi Jinping pointed out that we must keep close pace with the progress of building a scientific and technological powerhouse, optimize the layout and environmental conditions for defense innovation, and make full use of advantageous forces and resources from all sectors to substantially improve our capacity and level of defense technology innovation. This important discourse points the way forward and provides the fundamental following for accelerating defense technology innovation, achieving self-reliance and strength in science and technology, and promoting the conversion of innovation achievements into tangible combat effectiveness. Science and technology are the most active and revolutionary factors in military development; every major technological advancement and innovation triggers profound changes in the form of war and methods of operation. In future wars, military maneuvering between great powers will increasingly manifest as technological "disruption and anti-disruption," "surprise and anti-surprise," and "offset and anti-offset." Technology has become a direct, core combat capability. To win the initiative in military competition and war on future battlefields, the military must persist in seeking combat effectiveness through scientific and technological innovation. We must rely on technological progress to drive national defense and military modernization. Self-reliance and strength in science and technology are the foundation of national prosperity and the key to security. Currently, facing the complex international situation and a new round of technological and industrial revolutions, military reform continues to deepen, and the cause of strengthening and flourishing the military stands at a new historical position. We must uphold the concept that "reform is only a process in progress, never a finished state," persisting in the idea that reform is always on the road. We must further consolidate and expand existing achievements and open up new horizons for national defense and military modernization. We must uphold the Party's absolute leadership over the people's army, continue to deepen national defense and military reform, improve the leadership and management systems of the people's army, deepen the reform of the joint operations system, and deepen cross-military-civilian reforms. National defense and military modernization have been continuously advanced through reform and opening up, and will surely open up broad prospects through further reform and opening up.

Achieving high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology is the key to Chinese-path modernization. Technology has never influenced the overall situation of national security and military strategy as deeply as it does today, nor has it ever influenced the development of China’s national defense and military modernization as profoundly. Science and technology have extensively permeated all elements of combat effectiveness; science and technology are core combat power and the primary driving force for national defense and military modernization. Accelerating defense technology innovation is an inevitable requirement for comprehensively promoting national defense and military modernization. We must continue to do the "great work" ^[15] of technological innovation, actively adapting to changes in technology, changes in warfare, and changes in adversaries. We must accelerate the integrated development of mechanization, informatization, and intelligentization; systematically promote the construction of combat capabilities in new domains and of new qualities; vigorously create new "growth poles" for advanced combat effectiveness; and advance the great cause of building an innovative people's army with giant strides.

(iii) National defense and military modernization are important aspects of promoting the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity

Military governance is an important component of the national governance conducted under the leadership of our Party; it is a logical extension and practical manifestation of national governance in the military field. The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC proposed for the first time the new proposition and scientific judgment of "military governance" (军事治理) in the military field, which carries important significance for theoretical innovation and practical guidance. To accurately grasp this new judgment and requirement, we must clarify the core essence of military governance in theory and comprehensively perform all tasks for strengthening military governance in practice, promoting a continuous leap in our Party's level of military building and military management. In recent years, the modernization level and actual combat capabilities of our military have improved significantly. However, from the perspective of promoting high-quality military development, some chronic ailments and stubborn "original sins" (顽瘴痼疾) still exist in the military field, necessitating the use of scientific concepts and methods for governance and eradication. To implement the deployments of the 20th National Congress, military governance in the next five years must identify key leverage points and focus on promoting the development of national defense and military modernization through high-level military governance. Military construction is a complex system, and the integrity, complexity, and interconnectedness of military system operations are increasing. Comprehensively strengthening military governance in the New Era represents a profound transformation in our Party's concepts and methods of military building and management; it is a strategic requirement for accelerating national defense and military modernization and an important aspect of promoting the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity. We must deeply advance governing the military according to law and with strict discipline, accelerate the construction of a military legal system with Chinese characteristics, and promote a fundamental change in the way the military is governed. We must strengthen top-level design, firmly grasp new systems and requirements, and accelerate a "military management revolution" centered on efficiency and oriented toward precision. We must practice overall coordination, systematic construction, and systemic governance, earnestly solving development problems with reformist and innovative ideas, focusing on building a modern military governance system, and promoting the development of national defense and military modernization.

(iv) National defense and military modernization are realistic requirements for comprehensively promoting Chinese-path modernization

The CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, focusing on the realization of the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and centered on the Party's goal of strengthening the military in the New Era, has made a series of strategic plans and deployments for accelerating national defense and military modernization. These have led the entire military to create a new situation in the cause of strengthening the military and guided the modernization of the people's army to stride forward in the magnificent practice of strengthening the military. At this momentous historical moment of marching toward the goal of comprehensively building a great modern socialist country, Xi Jinping has once again clearly put forward a strategic mobilization for accelerating national defense and military modernization, which carries even more profound political connotations and longer-term strategic considerations. Only by deeply understanding and accurately grasping the great significance, rich connotations, and strategic deployments of accelerating national defense and military modernization—by forging the "soul" of a strong military, focusing on the "key" to a strong military, and consolidating the "foundation" of a strong military—can we forge extraordinary skills and faithfully fulfill the sacred mission of safeguarding the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

On October 24, 2022, while attending a meeting of leading military cadres,習近平 (Xi Jinping) emphasized that the focus and emphasis of our military in studying, publicizing, and implementing the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress must be placed on achieving the Centenary Goal of the People’s Liberation Army. This is the central task of our military’s development for the next five years; we must go all out and ensure its certain accomplishment ^[16]. On the new journey, we must accurately grasp the historical position and stage-specific characteristics of strengthening the nation and the military, riding the momentum to continue our struggle and unswervingly pushing forward the modernization of national defense and the armed forces. The report to the 20th CPC National Congress proposed to "consolidate and enhance integrated national strategic systems and capabilities," further deepening our law-based understanding of the unity between a prosperous country and a strong military. This underscores the Party Central Committee’s grand strategy for governing and rejuvenating the country by merging the Chinese Dream with the Dream of a Strong Military, promoting the synchronous enhancement of economic and national defense strength.

This requires us to further improve strategic planning and adhere to strengthening military-civilian integration through top-level design ^[17]. We must ensure that relevant national departments fully consider military requirements when formulating strategies and compiling plans; conversely, military development strategies and construction plans should even more rigorously implement the state's overall deployments. We must further optimize the layout of the defense science, technology, and industry, continuously advancing institutional reform within these sectors to stimulate the vitality of the military products market and resolutely tear down various institutional barriers that lead to the separation of military and civilian spheres. We must further improve the national defense mobilization system, construct a new pattern of mobilization, and strengthen national defense education for all citizens, making the care for, love of, construction of, and defense of national defense a consensus and conscious action of the entire society. We must further strengthen the construction of modern border, coastal, and air defenses, solidly performing the various tasks of stabilizing the borders through politics, prospering the borders by enriching the people, and strengthening the borders through military prowess. We must vigorously integrate national border and coastal defense forces, reserve forces, and the masses of border guards to build a powerful system of defense and control forces. Finally, we must further consolidate and develop the unity between the military and the government, and between the military and the people. The military must consciously submit to and serve the overall work of the Party and the state, actively supporting local economic and social development. Localities at all levels must also enthusiastically solve problems for officers and soldiers, actively participating in and supporting the modernization of national defense and the armed forces. Advancing on the new journey and striving in the New Era, the People's Army will unite even more closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, fully implement Xi Jinping’s thinking on strengthening the military, and accelerate the modernization of national defense and the armed forces.

At the ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, Xi Jinping emphasized: "To learn from history and create the future, we must accelerate the modernization of national defense and the armed forces." The Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee proposed that the modernization of national defense and the armed forces is an essential component of Chinese-path modernization. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has, with unprecedented determination and intensity, led the most extensive and profound reform of national defense and the armed forces since the founding of the People's Republic. They have deeply resolved systemic obstacles, structural contradictions, and policy issues that long restricted the development of national defense and the military. As a result, the People's Army has achieved a new system, a new structure, a new pattern, and a new outlook, providing a powerful guarantee for accelerating modernization. At present, the world's great changes unseen in a century ^[18] are accelerating, and a new round of technological and military revolutions is developing rapidly. Our military's construction is currently in the "sprint stage" for achieving the Centenary Goal of the People’s Liberation Army. To grasp the new situation, tasks, and requirements, we must unswervingly promote the further comprehensive deepening of reform and focus on resolving deep-seated contradictions that restrict the improvement of combat readiness in the New Era. Only then can we promote the high-quality development of national defense and military construction, strive to realize the Centenary Goal, and accelerate the transformation of the People's Army into a world-class military.