Xi urges building strong, modernized parachute force

President Xi Jinping has urged the parachute force of the People's Liberation Army Air Force to make all-out efforts in training and combat preparedness.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said that airborne troops have special and important roles in the PLA's structure and battle system.

He said the force should adapt to the Air Force's transformation, use comprehensive measures to better train its troops, and spare no efforts to improve its overall combat capabilities so that it can become a mighty and modernized airborne force.

Xi made the instructions on Monday as he inspected the headquarters of the PLA Air Force's Parachute Corps, located in Hubei province. This was the first time for Xi to inspect the parachute force.

Xi listened to a work report from the corps' top commander and recognized the force's achievements.

He said that all members of the force must always remember their missions and duties, enhance the sense of combat readiness and focus on the preparation of military operations.

More efforts should be made to study and work out new fighting patterns and tactics to make the best use of the airborne force's unique advantages, he added.

Xi said commanders should improve basic and specific training, organize full-element, systematic and scenario-specific combat exercises, and send their soldiers to more interservice drills to hone joint operation capabilities.

Moreover, Xi told the corps to build new fighting prowess and utilize advanced science and technology to facilitate its development.

He also said that the force must complete all of its tasks to make sure that its missions set by the Party can be accomplished according to schedule.

Before making the remarks, Xi met with a group of officers and soldiers from the Parachute Corps and had a guided tour of the force's weapons and its military history museum.

He said the corps should strengthen its hardware research, development and deployment, and urged it to uphold its glorious traditions and promote them among soldiers.