President Hu Jintao and Xi Jinping, the general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission (CMC), have urged the Chinese army under the CPC's command to remain steadfastly loyal and accomplish its historic missions.

Hu and Xi addressed an enlarged meeting of the CMC on Friday, urging continuous efforts to advance the construction of the army and to fulfill historic missions shouldered by the military, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Xi said that Hu himself requested to quit the positions of general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CMC. The 18th National Congress of the CPC and the first plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee approved his request.

Xi praised Hu's decision as reflecting his views on the development of the Party, the country and the military, but also his exemplary conduct and good character as a Marxist politician and strategist.

Xi's election as both head of the CPC Central Committee and CMC was the first time in decades these positions were both given to the same person at the same time. Xi's predecessor Hu took over the CMC two years after becoming general secretary of the CPC Central Committee.

Many Web users also applauded Hu's decision as seeking to make the Party's power transition more institutionalized. "Bravo, Hu, you set a good example," one Web user commented on a Sina microblog.

The Pakistan Today newspaper said Hu's exit from the CMC was "graceful," while the Hong Kong-based Wen Wei Po quoted observers as saying that "it is of great significance for the institutionalization of the Party's leadership transition," adding that it could be as significant as the abolishment of the life tenure system for leaders, provided this progress can be extended in the future.

"The just-concluded 18th National Congress of the CPC and the first plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee resulted in the formation of a new central leadership and the appointment of new members to the Central Military Commission," Hu said at the meeting, which was presided over by Xi.

The leadership transition was conducive to the enduring peace and stability of the nation as well as the long-lasting development of national defense and army building, Hu said.

Xi has military experience. He was appointed vice chairman of the Central Military Commission at the fifth plenary session of the 17th CPC Central Committee in October 2010, Hu noted.

The CPC Central Committee's decision to name Xi the chairman of the Central Military Commission was highly appropriate, said Hu.

"Xi Jinping can, for sure, shoulder great responsibilities of being chairman of the Central Military Commission while uniting and leading the commission to fulfill its great historic missions," he said.

Global Times - Xinhua