Addressing PLAAF personnel on November 8, at the China Aviation Museum on the outskirts of Beijing on the occasion of the the Air Force’s 70th anniversary, Chinese President Xi Jinping was quoted by the state-owned CGTN saying"We must…strive to build the People's Air Force into a world-class air force." He later spoke at a meeting of the Central Military Commission (CMC) on strengthening the military's rank and file. The South China Morning Post quoted him to say: “‘The grass-roots level of the military is experiencing new conditions and changes in its mission, construction, daily operation, unit structure, personnel composition and social environment.’ As the armed forces evolve, Xi believes it is more important than ever that the Party keep firm control. He said that "because these lower-ranked units formed the basis of the military, they needed to be under the Communist Party’s tight ‘grips’ to ensure their strength and discipline.”
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