Military asked to implement 'mass line' campaign

BEIJING - President Xi Jinping has instructed the People's Liberation Army (PLA) to implement a "mass line" campaign as part of efforts to build a strong military.

"Mass line" refers to a guideline under which the Communist Party of China (CPC) is required to prioritize the interests of the people and persist in exercising power for them.

The PLA should build inner relations featuring solidarity, friendship, harmony and purity, he said, adding that bad elements such as formalism, bureaucracy, hedonism and extravagance should be firmly opposed.

The campaign should target serious problems reported by officers and soldiers and result in the formation of a long-term mechanism to guarantee the building of a strong military, according to Xi's instructions.

The CPC has launched a year-long education campaign to boost ties between CPC members and the public through a "thorough cleanup" of undesirable work styles.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, said Tuesday that winning or losing public support is an issue that concerns the CPC's survival.

Xi's instructions were echoed by Fan Changlong, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC).

The campaign should focus on enhancing the PLA's combat capabilities and war preparedness, Fan said at a PLA conference held in Beijing on Friday,

He called for creating specific regulations concerning official receptions, the management of military vehicles, use of personnel and resources management.

Xu Qiliang, who is also CMC's vice chairman, said the military must maintain firm beliefs and be absolutely loyal, pure and reliable.

The military should always follow the CPC's instructions and serve the people, he said at the conference, which was attended by all of the military's senior officials.