PLA urged to bolster capabilities in the south

President Xi Jinping urged military personnel from the People's Liberation Army Southern Theater Command on Thursday to enhance command, combat and coordination capabilities to better protect stability and people near the country's southern borders.

During an inspection of the theater command, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, called for the development of a strong and efficient command to improve the ability to win battles.

The PLA has five theater commands, and the Southern Theater Command oversees military personnel and hardware in six southern provincial-level regions: Guangdong, Hunan, Hainan, Yunnan and Guizhou provinces and the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. It also operates the PLA South Sea Fleet, which is responsible for maintaining peace and security in the South China Sea.