Centre for China Analysis and Strategy

CHINA-LEADERSHIP: XI JINPING TAKES SALUTE AT PLA'S 90TH ANNIVERSARY PARADE

On August 1, 2017, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) celebrated its 90th anniversary at the Zhurihe Combined Tactics Training Base in Inner Mongolia with a parade for the first time ever featuring 12,000 troops in battle gear rather than the traditional dress uniform. Xi Jinping took the salute dressed in combat fatigues and a military forage cap in a military jeep. Addressing the assembled PLA officers and personnel, Chinese President Xi Jinping said China has “the confidence and capability to defeat all armies that dare to offend” and asked the troops to “be ready to assemble at the first call and be capable of fighting and winning any battle.” He demanded that the PLA should be “unswervingly loyal” to the ruling Communist Party and “extend the battleground to wherever the party points towards”.The parade displayed China’s latest weaponry, including its J-20 stealth fighter jet and DF-31AG advanced long-range missiles. About 40 per cent of the hardware on show had never before been seen in public. The parade was also the first time in 36 years that a top Chinese leader had inspected troops outside Beijing.

The parade marked the first official display by the J-20 stealth fighter, represented by the PLA Air Force (PLAAF) as being on a technological par with the US’ fifth generation fighters like the F-35 and F-22. H-6 bombers were also on display as were the J-16 fighter – which has replaced the J-11B jets seen at the 2015 military parade – and the J-10C fighter. Also on display were the:

DF-31AG missile -- The road-mobile DF-31 series is an intercontinental ballistic missile designed mainly to deliver nuclear warheads. The variant displayed at the parade has an estimated range of 11,000km, and could reach most of the continental United States as well as Europe.

Chengdu J-20 fighter -- three of the aircraft made a flyover at the parade. The J-20 is China’s most advanced stealth fighter which entered service in March. The twin-engine fighter, designed by Chengdu Aerospace Corporation, has a longer range and can carry more fuel and weapons than the US F-22 or F-35. However, its made-in-China WS-15 engines are widely thought to be inferior to Western ones.

Shenyang J-16 fighter -- Developed by the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, the J-16 is based on the J-11B, a modification of Russia’s Sukhoi-30MKK. The J-16 has never before been shown to the public.The fighter is designed for a naval role, and will carry “stand-off” missiles that can attack ships from beyond visual range.

Xian Y-20 cargo plane -- Introduced in 2016, this is China’s first and largest home-made military transport plane. With a payload of 66 tonnes, it is capable of carrying China’s most powerful ZTZ-99A tank, which was also demonstrated during the parade. The Xian Aircraft Industrial Corporation used 3D printing technology to speed up the plane’s development and cut costs.

HQ-22 and HQ-9B air-defence missiles The HQ-22 was first revealed in 2016, and is a cheap replacement for the obsolete HQ-2 air-defence system. The HQ-9B is an upgrade of the HQ-9 that is similar to Russia’s S-300 missile.

ASN-301 drone system -- The unmanned aerial vehicle is based on an Israeli model and is designed to seek out and target radar systems. The drone has a top speed of some 220km/h, and can stay airborne for four hours. It can target up to eight radar systems from as far away as 228km.

Forty percent of the equipment displayed was indigenously produced. Zhao Xiaozhuo, a Beijing-based military commentator said on state television, that the event was also markedly different from previous parades in its heavy emphasis on real combat and field operations. He said “[The parade] showcased the results of the military reform, including the boost in morale and political loyalty. Secondly, it showed the public and the world China’s military capabilities and the standard of its home-grown weapons.” Another difference was that the troops on parade shouted “salute to the chairman” to Xi as he passed by, rather than “salute to the chief”, which is the standard greeting. The break from tradition is seen as a further sign of Xi’s centralised power over the military.

The Chief Instructor of the parade was the PLA's 'rising star', General Han Weiguo, Commander of the PLA's Central Theatre Command, who was promoted to the rank of General just two days before the event. He is regarded as an ally of Xi Jinping's.

(Comment: This is the first time in 36 years that a top Chinese leader had inspected troops outside Beijing. The last time was in 1981 in Zhangjiakou, Hebei province, when then leader Deng Xiaoping returned to power and assumed the role of chairman of the Central Military Commission, which is the country’s top military authority.)