China stresses Party's absolute leadership over army

A Chinese military officer said Tuesday that the country will resolutely oppose any erroneous ideas about the depoliticization of the country's army, adding that those ideas have "ulterior motives."

Wang Yongsheng from the General Political Department of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) made the remarks at a press conference on the eve of the 85th anniversary of the founding of the PLA.

"The PLA was founded by, and is under the leadership of, the Communist Party of China (CPC), and the CPC's absolute leadership over the army is the army's fundamental system and principle," said Wang.

He added that the CPC's leadership over the state and the army has been established through the revolutionary period and practices. It has also been written into the Constitution.

"Our army belongs to the Party, but it also belongs to the state and to the people," he said.

Wang said a few people in other countries criticize China's military system. That criticism spreads some erroneous ideas, including ideas that the army should be depoliticized and have no party affiliations, or that the army should be nationalized. Some even suggest the Party should end its leadership of the army, according to Wang.

"Those ideas have ulterior motives," said Wang. "We will resolutely oppose them."