People's Armed Police Force tasked to maintain stability
China's armed forces should stick to the leadership and show absolute loyalty to the Communist Party of China (CPC) to better accomplish its mission of safeguarding national security and stability ahead of the national Party congress, a senior police official said. [Special coverage]
As the armed forces under the CPC, the People's Armed Police Force (PAPF) is tasked to maintain national security and social stability … and must follow the orders of the CPC Central Committee, Central Military Commission (CMC) and Chinese President Xi Jinping, since it faces both domestic and international challenges, PAPF commander Gen. Wang Ning said in an article published on Wednesday.
"Only when the CMC chairman responsibility system is fully implemented and the Party's absolute leadership over the army is realized that the Party and nation would not fall into chaos, the army would not run away and schemers would not succeed," Wang wrote in the Study Times, a newspaper affiliated with the CPC Central Committee Party School.
The CMC chairman responsibility system is a system that ensures the top leadership of the armed forces is in the hands of the CPC Central Committee and the CMC, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
The PAPF has carefully studied the speeches of President Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and CMC chairman, and is prepared to greet the 19th CPC National Congress, Wang added.
Wang and 49 other armed police officers will attend the national Party congress, Xinhua reported.
Wang's article proves that China's armed forces are prepared to safeguard social stability and prevent unharmonious behaviors in society during next week's national Party congress, Yang Yucai, a professor at the National Defense University of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), told the Global Times.
"As the national Party congress approaches, the PAPF needs to reinforce checkpoints in public areas, especially roads, bridges and airports, as well as access to and spaces around government buildings," said Li Daguang from the National Defense University.
The PAPF's support will further enhance the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi at the core, Li told the Global Times.
Wang also warned of corruptive behaviors that would undermine the armed forces.
"Former senior military officials Guo Boxiong and Xu Caihou had weakened the CMC chairman responsibility system, and severely crossed the political red line, putting the army in an extremely dangerous position," Wang said.
Guo and Xu were CMC vice chairmen and members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. They are two of 53 senior officers from the PLA and PAPF above the rank of senior colonel who have been removed over corruption since 2012.
Wang's article showed his commitment to fighting corruption and his support to the central government's anti-graft drive, Yang said.
