Doctrine Political Work

PLA Daily Editorial: Uphold and Strengthen the Party's Absolute Leadership Over the Military, Advance the Modernization of National Defense and the Armed Forces with High Quality

解放军报社论：坚持和加强党对军队的绝对领导高质量推进国防和军队现代化

PLA Daily (解放军报) 1 August 2026

Summary

PLA Daily's editorial marking the PLA's 99th founding anniversary reiterates the CMC's framework for defense modernization through the new 'three-step' strategy, calls for deepening political rectification (政治整训) and ideological rectification (思想整风) as ongoing rather than episodic work, and prioritizes development of 'new-domain and new-quality' (新域新质) combat forces alongside the cyber-information system (网络信息体系) as the military prepares its 15th Five-Year Plan. This is standard founding-anniversary political work content; its value is as a record of which institutional priorities—anti-corruption, Xi Jinping Thought indoctrination, and civil-military integration—the PLA's official organ chooses to foreground at the 99th anniversary, one year before the centenary milestone that the editorial explicitly frames as a mobilizing deadline.

Translation

The People's Army is loyal to the Party, forging ahead with determination toward a strong military. At this critical juncture when China's development has entered a key period of consolidating the foundation for and fully driving forward the basic realization of socialist modernization, and at the historic turning point in the strategic progression of the new "three-step" approach to national defense and military modernization, we mark the 99th founding anniversary of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. The People's Army, holding high the Party's banner, puts its founding mission into practice, concentrates its efforts on war preparedness and tackling hard challenges, and has been reborn through fire in the course of revolutionary tempering—advancing boldly toward the goal of building a strong military in the new era as set by the Party.

"For the very first time since heaven and earth were opened, the people have their own soldiers." Ninety-nine years ago today, the Nanchang Uprising raised the curtain on our Party's armed resistance against the Kuomintang reactionaries and announced the birth of a new type of people's army led by the Communist Party of China. From the arduous struggle on Jinggang Mountain to the Long March fraught with countless hardships, from the smoke-filled War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression to the sweeping War of Liberation, from the heroic struggle to resolutely defend national sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity to the tenacious fight to respond to disasters and protect the lives and property of the people, from selfless dedication in support of national economic and social development to concrete actions to safeguard regional and world peace—the People's Army has always acted and fought under the Party's absolute leadership, vanquishing every enemy, overcoming every difficulty, and winning one brilliant victory after another. Looking back on the glorious history of the People's Army, it is precisely because our Party has consistently upheld the principles of ideological Party-building and political army-building (思想建党、政治建军), and has upheld the fundamental principle and system of the Party commanding the gun, that our military has always remained a people's army under the Party's absolute leadership. This has provided an inexhaustible source of strength for our military to overcome powerful enemies and formidable obstacles, and has ensured that our military has always preserved the character and conduct of a people's army—always a heroic force in which the Party and the people can place complete trust.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Party, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, taking into overall consideration the strategic imperatives of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the once-in-a-century changes in the world, has placed the building of a strong military in a prominent position in the work of the Party and the state. It has unwaveringly upheld and strengthened the Party's absolute leadership over the military, clearly put forward the Party's goal of building a strong military in the new era, planned and implemented the new "three-step" strategy for national defense and military modernization, and comprehensively advanced political army-building (政治建军), reform-driven army-building (改革强军), science-and-technology-driven army-building (科技强军), talent-driven army-building (人才强军), and law-based army governance (依法治军)—simultaneously conducting struggle, war preparedness, and construction. Our military's modernization level and combat capability have been significantly enhanced, and the cause of building a strong military has achieved historic accomplishments and undergone historic transformations. Leading the People's Army with unprecedented resolve and intensity to deepen political rectification (政治整训) and advance political army-building, returning to Gutian to trace roots and origins, going again to Yan'an to restore fundamentals and correct the course, holding senior officer training courses for the entire military, forging the backbone of the strong-military cause, conducting thorough investigations to root out corruption and eliminate maladies, tempering and forging from the inside out—the fundamental principle and system of the Party's absolute leadership over the military have been further consolidated. Ideals and convictions, founding mission and character, and traditional conduct have powerfully returned. Major and profound changes have occurred in the morale, mental outlook, and political ecosystem of the troops, winning the historic initiative in building a strong military. The People's Army has striven to mark the centenary of the military's founding and pressed forward to build a first-class military, accelerated the high-quality development of national defense and military construction, achieved the satisfactory completion of the military's 14th Five-Year Plan, effectively responded to external military provocations, deterred "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, carried out major missions including maritime rights protection, peacekeeping and escort operations, and disaster relief, and outstandingly fulfilled the parade mission commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, comprehensively showcasing the new ethos of political army-building, the new layout of force structure, the new developments in modernization, and the new results of war preparedness. The attainment of these historic and great achievements is fundamentally attributable to Chairman Xi's navigation and stewardship, and to the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

A strong nation must have a strong military; only with a strong military can the nation be secure. Advancing the modernization of national defense and the armed forces with high quality is an inherent requirement of advancing Chinese-path modernization (中国式现代化). Today's world is marked by intertwined turbulence and intensifying instability; geopolitical conflicts are prone to break out frequently; the uncertainty and instability of the external environment have increased markedly; and China's development is in a period where strategic opportunities and risks and challenges coexist, with increasing uncertain and hard-to-predict factors. Confronting the profound changes in the national security environment and the era's demands for a strong nation and a strong military, the entire military must unify its thinking and actions with the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee and the Central Military Commission (CMC), firmly establish and practice a correct view of political performance (政绩观), strengthen political guidance, deepen innovation and development, advance the modernization of national defense and the armed forces with high quality, achieve the centenary military-building goals on schedule, drive decisive progress toward the basic realization of national defense and military modernization, and write a new chapter in building a strong military that is worthy of our revolutionary forebears, worthy of the century-long foundation, and worthy of this great era.

The entire military must unwaveringly uphold and strengthen the Party's absolute leadership over the military, persistently use Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to unite hearts and forge souls (凝心铸魂), deepen the arming of minds with Xi Jinping's thought on strengthening the military (习近平强军思想), consolidate the foundation of ideals and convictions, forge the political soul of loyalty to the Party, firmly establish among officers and soldiers the ideological foundation of heeding the Party's words and following the Party's lead, and ensure that the barrel of the gun forever obeys the Party's command. We must uphold, apply well, and develop the important instrument of political army-building, comprehensively implement the strategy for political army-building in the new era, carry forward the spirit of thorough self-revolution (彻底的自我革命精神), integrate political rectification into daily and routine work, deepen ideological rectification (思想整风), vigorously advance the struggle against corruption, carry forward and promote glorious traditions and fine conduct, and resolutely defend the political character of the People's Army. We must solidly advance combat training and war preparedness, keep a close eye on changes in technology, changes in warfare, and changes in adversaries, vigorously pursue combat-realistic military training, strengthen the integrated development of combat capability systems, strengthen the building and employment of new-domain and new-quality (新域新质) combat forces, conduct military struggle with firmness and flexibility, and effectively defend national sovereignty, security, and development interests. We must consolidate and improve the integrated national strategic system and capabilities, strengthen military governance, ensure good execution of the military's 15th Five-Year Plan, accelerate the building of advanced combat capabilities, deepen the building and application of the cyber-information system (网络信息体系), and enhance the overall quality and effectiveness of military construction and development. We must practice the fundamental purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly, actively support local construction and development, courageously undertake urgent, difficult, dangerous, and arduous missions, consolidate civil-military and military-civilian unity, and write a new chapter for the new era of loving our people and loving our military.

No storm or test can shake the People's Army's rock-solid conviction of wholehearted loyalty to the Party; no hardship or obstacle can halt the People's Army's determined stride toward strength and power. Let us unite more closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, comprehensively implement the spirit of the Party's 20th National Congress and all plenary sessions of the 20th Central Committee, earnestly carry out the deployments of the Fourth Plenary Session, thoroughly implement Xi Jinping's thought on strengthening the military, deeply appreciate the decisive significance of the "Two Establishments" (两个确立), strengthen the "Four Consciousnesses" (四个意识), consolidate the "Four Confidences" (四个自信), practice the "Two Upholds" (两个维护), implement the system of CMC Chairman responsibility (军委主席负责制), bear in mind our duties and mission, invigorate the revolutionary spirit, rally the strength to forge ahead, fight and win the battle to achieve the centenary military-building goals, accelerate the building of the People's Army into a world-class military, and provide strong strategic support for comprehensively advancing the great cause of building a strong nation and national rejuvenation through Chinese-path modernization.

Original Chinese

人民军队忠于党，砥砺奋进向强军。在我国发展已进入基本实现社会主义现代化夯实基础、全面发力的关键时期，在国防和军队现代化新“三步走”战略转进的历史关口，我们迎来了中国人民解放军建军99周年。人民军队高举着党的旗帜，践行初心使命，聚力备战攻坚，在革命性锻造中浴火重生、换羽新生，向着实现党在新时代的强军目标奋勇前进。 “开天辟地第一回，人民有了子弟兵。”99年前的今天，南昌起义拉开了我们党武装反抗国民党反动派的大幕，宣告中国诞生了中国共产党领导的新型人民军队。从艰苦卓绝的井冈山斗争到千难万险的长征路，从硝烟弥漫的抗日战争到摧枯拉朽的解放战争，从坚决捍卫国家主权、安全、领土完整的英勇斗争到抢险救灾、保卫人民生命财产安全的顽强拼搏，从支援国家经济社会建设的无私奉献到维护地区和世界和平的实际行动，人民军队始终在党的绝对领导下行动和战斗，战胜一切敌人，征服一切困难，取得一个又一个辉煌胜利。回顾人民军队的光辉历程，正是我们党始终坚持思想建党、政治建军原则，坚持党指挥枪的根本原则和制度，保证了我军始终是党绝对领导下的人民军队，为我军战胜强大敌人和艰难险阻提供了不竭力量，使我军始终保持了人民军队的本色和作风，始终是党和人民完全可以信赖的英雄部队。党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央，统筹中华民族伟大复兴战略全局和世界百年未有之大变局，把强军兴军摆在党和国家事业的突出位置，毫不动摇坚持和加强党对军队的绝对领导，鲜明提出党在新时代的强军目标，谋划实施国防和军队现代化新“三步走”战略，全面推进政治建军、改革强军、科技强军、人才强军、依法治军，边斗争、边备战、边建设，我军现代化水平和实战能力显著提升，强军事业取得历史性成就、发生历史性变革。领导人民军队以前所未有的决心和力度深化政治整训、推进政治建军，重回古田寻根溯源，再到延安正本清源，举办全军高级干部培训班，锻造强军事业中坚骨干，纵深起底肃毒除弊，由内而外淬炼锻造，党对军队绝对领导的根本原则和制度更加强固，理想信念、初心本色、传统作风强力回归，部队军心士气、精神面貌、政治生态发生重大而深刻变化，赢得了强军兴军历史主动。人民军队奋斗建军百年、奋进强军一流，加快国防和军队建设高质量发展，实现我军建设“十四五”规划圆满收官，有效应对外部军事挑衅，震慑“台独”分裂势力，遂行海上维权、维和护航、抢险救灾等重大任务，出色完成纪念中国人民抗日战争暨世界反法西斯战争胜利80周年阅兵任务，全面展示政治建军新风貌、力量结构新布局、现代化建设新发展、备战打仗新成效。历史性伟大成就的取得，根本在于习主席领航掌舵，在于习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想科学指引。强国必须强军，军强才能国安。高质量推进国防和军队现代化，是推进中国式现代化的应有之义。当今世界变乱交织、动荡加剧，地缘冲突易发多发，外部环境的不确定性不稳定性明显增强，我国发展正处于战略机遇和风险挑战并存、不确定难预料因素增多的时期。面对国家安全环境的深刻变化，面对强国强军的时代要求，全军必须把思想和行动统一到党中央、中央军委决策部署上来，牢固树立和践行正确政绩观，强化政治引领，深化创新发展，高质量推进国防和军队现代化，如期实现建军一百年奋斗目标，推动基本实现国防和军队现代化取得决定性进展，书写无愧于革命先辈、无愧于百年基业、无愧于伟大时代的强军兴军新篇章。全军要毫不动摇坚持和加强党对军队的绝对领导，坚持不懈用习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想凝心铸魂，深化习近平强军思想武装，筑牢理想信念之基，锻造对党忠诚的政治灵魂，打牢官兵听党话、跟党走的思想根基，确保枪杆子永远听党指挥。要坚持好运用好发展好政治建军重要法宝，全面落实新时代政治建军方略，发扬彻底的自我革命精神，把政治整训融入日常、抓在经常，深化思想整风，深入推进反腐败斗争，传承弘扬光荣传统和优良作风，坚定捍卫人民军队政治本色。要扎实推进练兵备战，紧盯科技之变、战争之变、对手之变，大抓实战化军事训练，加强作战能力体系集成，加强新域新质作战力量建设运用，坚定灵活开展军事斗争，有效捍卫国家主权、安全、发展利益。要巩固提高一体化国家战略体系和能力，加强军事治理，抓好军队建设“十五五”规划执行，加快先进战斗力建设，深化网络信息体系建设运用，提升军队建设发展整体质效。要践行全心全意为人民服务的根本宗旨，积极支援地方建设发展，勇于承担急难险重任务，巩固军政军民团结，续写爱我人民爱我军的时代新篇。任何风浪考验都撼动不了人民军队铁心向党的如磐信念，任何艰难险阻都阻挡不了人民军队向强图强的坚定步伐。让我们更加紧密地团结在以习近平同志为核心的党中央周围，坚持以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导，全面贯彻落实党的二十大和二十届历次全会精神，认真落实四中全会部署，深入贯彻习近平强军思想，深刻领悟“两个确立”的决定性意义，增强“四个意识”、坚定“四个自信”、做到“两个维护”，贯彻军委主席负责制，牢记职责使命，振奋革命精神，凝聚奋进力量，打好实现建军一百年奋斗目标攻坚战，加快把人民军队建成世界一流军队，为以中国式现代化全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业提供坚强战略支撑。