Innovation is the way for China's defense

The People's Liberation Army, like its counterparts in some other countries, is undergoing a transition, graduating from the mechanized-war structure to one in which IT plays the most vital role. But the PLA still lags behind the militaries of some advanced countries like the United States when it comes to IT. Certain shortcomings, including some commanding officers' outdated thinking and inability to adapt to the changing dynamics of military theory and practice, pose a particularly tough challenge for China's military and defense upgrade.

Innovation has been the greatest driving force of human civilization and thus social development. The military, like any other branch of government, has to be innovative and should come up with cutting-edge theories, which among other things will also help its material upgrade. There is, therefore, no option but to make the PLA more adept at IT-based war strategy.

The recent meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on military innovation and reform confirms that China is aware of both the opportunities and challenges created by the "new military revolution" in the world.

Xi also highlighted a slew of concrete requirements for the PLA while talking about the necessity of innovation in the armed forces to close the gap with its counterparts in more advanced countries. Xi emphasized the importance of integrating military and civilian innovation, saying that while the two accommodate each other and develop together, local Party organizations and government departments should fulfill their part of the requirement by the timely recruitment of new and bright talents for the PLA to provide consistent support to military reform.

Xi's remarks imply that the military can be innovative only if it has the full support of a powerful nation.

The author is a professor and presiding director of Strategy and Security Institute, affiliated to PLA University of International Studies.