Xi hails border defense forces' work

President Xi Jinping has stressed the necessity to strengthen the all-around development of the nation's border troops, build up the capacity for border defense and control, and strive to forge a "great wall of steel" in safeguarding China's borders.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks on Wednesday as he surveyed China's border management and control and the development of its border troops in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

He listened to briefings from the People's Liberation Army Northern Theater Command, the PLA Ground Force, the border defense brigade stationed in Inner Mongolia, and the Inner Mongolia Military Area Command.

Xi praised the longstanding role played by the region's border defense forces in building a solid security barrier on the northern border of the motherland.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, China's border troops have strengthened their training and combat preparedness, resolutely safeguarded security and stability in border areas and effectively protected the nation's sovereignty, security and development interests, he said.

He emphasized the importance of the border regions in national governance, saying that border defense is a major issue related to China's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and its reform, development and stability.

Xi highlighted the importance of strengthening the military ideologically and politically and making persistent efforts to use the Party's innovative theories to build up unity and strengthen the armed forces.

He called for the nation's border troops to focus on their missions and tasks in strengthening their training and combat readiness, improve their fighting capacity and adapt to the changing nature of warfare.

The capacity to use information technology for border defense and control must be strengthened, and more work must be done to transform border patrol methods and improve border control efficiency, the president said.

He called for the border troops to ensure the rule of law and strict military discipline, adopt innovative approaches in education and management, and do a good job in the implementation of their routine and basic tasks.

The training of grassroots officers must be stepped up, and more work must be done to train professional and talented border troops, he said.

The president also highlighted the arduous work faced by border defense officers and soldiers, saying that authorities at various levels must actively address their practical difficulties.