A military parade is held to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) at Zhurihe training base in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, July 30, 2017.  Photo: Xinhua

 
Chinese President Xi Jinping signed on Tuesday a mobilization order for the training of the armed forces, the first order of the Central Military Commission (CMC) in 2022, which stressed the changing situation the country faces and urged armed forces to redouble efforts to better combine training with combat operations. 

Experts pointed out that a deeper message is that China will stick to its goal to safeguarding its national territory, security and development despite any changes.   

Signed by Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the CMC, the order declared the start of military training for the year, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

The entire rank and file of the armed forces are required to resolutely implement the plans and instructions of the Party leadership and the CMC, according to the order, adding that the changing landscape of national security and combat circumstances must be accurately understood.

The armed forces must closely follow the evolution of technology, warfare and rivals, redouble their efforts to better combine training with combat operations, and strengthen systematic training and the use of technologies to develop an elite force that is capable of fighting and winning wars, the order read.

All officers and soldiers should uphold the spirit of fearing neither death nor hardship and conduct training in a vigorous, well-designed and safe manner to boost their commanding and fighting capabilities and foster excellent conduct, said the order. 

In addition to the attention the order pays to "changes" in national security and combat circumstances, technology, warfare and rivals, experts noted that the deeper message is that China will cope with any transformation by sticking to one core strategic principle which is to safeguard the country's sovereignty, security and development.

"The situation will change; warfare will change and technology will evolve. In terms of tactics, China will enhance its military response and joint combat capacities as well as the military's spirits to cope with these specific changes," Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and commentator, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

But in terms of strategy, China will not change its goal to safeguard the country's sovereignty, security and development.

"No matter the South China Sea, the Taiwan Straits, Hong Kong, Xizang or Xinjiang, as long as it is China's territory, or any issue that concerns its development interests, China will firmly safeguard it. Our strategic goal of strengthening the military will not change," Song noted.