Xi Jinping stresses building strong frontier defense

Senior Chinese leaders Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang and Zhang Gaoli meet with representatives attending a national meeting on frontier and coast defense in Beijing, China, June 27, 2014. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for efforts to build a strong and solid frontier defense network for both territorial land and water at a national meeting held here on Friday.

Xi said, upon mentioning frontier defense, one cannot help thinking China's modern history when the country was so weak and destitute that it was for everyone to bully.

Foreign aggressors broke China's land and sea defense for hundreds of times, plunging the Chinese nation into the abysm of calamity, Xi added, calling on the people not to forget the history of humiliation and to build a strong frontier.

Xi urged China's frontier defenders to meticulously monitor over and control the frontier and to mount actions to defend the country's maritime right, while implementing an overall national security outlook.

Furthermore, Xi called for efforts from both the military and civilian communities to strike a balance between frontier defense and economic development, staunchly safeguarding frontier security, stability and prosperity.

Premier Li Keqiang and Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli also attended the meeting.