Recently, Hu Jintao emphasized the party’s absolute leadership over the military at the Central Military Commission’s end of year meeting. Since the end of November 2006, five documents addressing the same topic were issued within 20 days.
Party’s Absolute Leadership over Military
During the Central Military Commission end of the year meeting, Hu said, “We have many things to do, but we cannot slack off the army and military issues a single moment… the Party’s absolute leadership over the military is a principle that should be strictly and firmly followed in any time and any condition…”
Five Documents Issued Within Twenty Days
Since the end of last November, the Communist Party Central Committee, the State Council, the Central Military Commission, Military General Staff Headquarters, the Military General Political Department and the Ministry of National Defenseall issued five documents within twenty days. Meanwhile, Hu as the Chairman of the Central Military Commission along with other Vice Chairmen, visited troops and military bases to lift soldiers’ spirits.
The following are details from the five documents:
Party’s Absolute Leadership over the Military
On November 24, 2006, the Communist Party Central Committee, State Council, Central Military Commission issued a document titled “General Principle Regarding Party’s Absolute Leadership over Army and Military System.” This document was sent down to every party committee in all military districts, all branches of the service (navy, air force, etc.), and to group military districts.
The document emphasizes that at anytime, during any situation, the party’s absolute leadership over the army must be guaranteed. Any negligence or shift of the party’s leadership must be rectified quickly and firmly, any incident must be dealt with quickly and firmly. No incident of neglecting the party’s leadership should be allowed.
War Preparation and Military & Technology Training
On November 27, 2006, Communist Party Central Committee’s Central Military Commission issued a document titled “Requirements Regarding Strengthen War Preparation and Military & Technology Training.”
The document emphasizes that during peacetime, the army needs to improve its quality, high-tech military equipment, tactics and technologies, as well as eliminate fake inventions, fake technology improvements and fake progress.
No Political Party, Group and Religious Activities
On December 1, 2006, Communist Party Central Committee, the State Council, and the Central Military Commission issued a document titled “Notice Regarding No Political Party, Group or Religious Activities Allowed in Army and Military System.”
The Documents consists of five points:
- No.1: Call all soldiers to voluntarily renounce and quit political party (other than the Chinese Communist Party);
- No.2. Eliminate all kinds of social groups and investigate how they formed and developed;
- No.3: Eliminate all kinds of religious activities;
- No.4: Eliminate and forbid organized, conspiratory, non-public political criticism affairs;
- No.5: For skeleton member in party (other than the CCP) activities, they should be criticized and educated, after admitting their mistakes; keep their CCP party membership and transfer them out of position of leadership, or critical department. If they don’t completely acknowledge their errors, or still get involved in these activities, strip them of their military rank.
According to inside sources, democratic parties or religious group activities exist among troops or military districts in Shaanxi, Hebei and Jiangxi provinces; some activities are even include Division General level high ranking officials.
Strengthen the Discipline and Organization Control in National Defense System
On December 12, 2006, Military General Staff Headquarters, the Military General Political Department and the Ministry of National Defense issued a document titled “Strengthen the Discipline and Organization Control in Army and National Defense System.”
The document lists many issues where discipline and organizational control in the army and national defense system is very lax; individualism and liberalism are wide spread. This has damaged the army’s image and nature. Most importantly, military system staff discipline violation incidents increases 80 percent annually, while money and property related criminal cases increases 20 percent annually.
Relationship between Military and Local Government and People
On December 15, 2006, State Council, Central Military Commission issued a document titled “Notice Regarding Strengthening Relationships between Military and Local Government and Populations.” The document was issued to the military at the division level.
The document requires the army, military and national defense system to follow local regulations strictly, and not to damage or infringe on local interests.
Actually, in many places, the relationship between local municipalities and the army has been very tense; armed conflicts have never ceased. On September 9, 2006, the Yangquan Military Sub-District in Shanxi Province mobilized troops to force the local government to relocate their building.
In October 2006, the air force of the Qingdao Navy in Shangdong Province fought with the Qingdao municipal civil armed forces department for the property rights of two villas; the military surrounded the government. The deadlock was only broken after the Shandong Provincial Military District General arrived on the scene.
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