Modernization Doctrine Political Work

First Observation | The General Secretary Steers the Course and Sets the Direction for High-Quality Advancement of National Defense and Military Modernization

第一观察∣总书记把舵定向高质量推进国防和军队现代化

PLA Daily (解放军报) 31 July 2026

Summary

At the Politburo's 27th group study session on July 30, Xi Jinping set the doctrinal framework for national defense and military modernization during the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan period, centering on three lines: 政治建军 (strengthening the military through politics) as the foundational principle, combat effectiveness (战斗力) as the sole evaluation standard, and consolidation of the 一体化国家战略体系和能力 (integrated national strategic system and capabilities) as the structural path forward. The session's timing—the eve of Army Day, framed as a historical juncture in the new 三步走 modernization roadmap—and its explicit call to deepen 思想整风 (ideological rectification) and advance the anti-corruption struggle documents that Xi is using the 15th Five-Year Plan threshold to reassert political control as a precondition for, not a complement to, warfighting capacity. The framing of 跨军地治理 (cross-military-civilian governance) as an "inherent component" of military governance points to continued institutional pressure to subordinate civilian economic actors to defense priorities, though the specific reform mechanisms remain unspecified.

Translation

The Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China held its 27th group study session on the afternoon of July 30, focusing on high-quality advancement of national defense and military modernization. General Secretary Xi Jinping, who presided over the session, emphasized: strengthen political guidance (政治引领), deepen innovation and development, and advance national defense and military modernization with high quality.

This group study session was held on the eve of Army Day, August 1st. The People's Army, having traversed 99 extraordinary years, stands at a historical juncture in the strategic transition of the new "three-step" (三步走) approach to national defense and military modernization.

During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, how should national defense and military modernization be advanced with high quality? Presiding over this group study session, General Secretary Xi Jinping issued important instructions, providing fundamental guidance and pointing the way forward for the entire military to strengthen political guidance, concentrate efforts on combat readiness and breakthroughs, and strive to open a new horizon for national defense and military modernization.

— "Strengthening the military through politics (政治建军) is the founding principle of the People's Army and bears on the direction and fundamental character of national defense and military modernization."

Strengthening the military must begin with strengthening it politically; political strength is the most fundamental strength. In recent years, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has led the advancement of strengthening the military through politics and political rectification training (政治整训) with tremendous political courage and a strong sense of historical responsibility, unswervingly and comprehensively enforcing strict Party governance and strict military governance. The resolve has been unprecedented; the intensity has been unprecedented. Strengthening the military through politics in the new era has achieved historic results.

Facts have proven that without the revolutionary tempering (革命性锻造) of politics, the great transformation of the People's Army in the new era would have been impossible. To achieve the centenary Army-building goals on schedule during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period and to advance national defense and military modernization with high quality, it is imperative to uphold, apply, and develop this important instrument (法宝) of strengthening the military through politics.

We must uphold and strengthen the Party's absolute leadership over the military, fully implement the new-era strategy of strengthening the military through politics, strengthen theoretical arming (理论武装), deepen ideological rectification (思想整风), and consolidate the ideological foundation that makes officers and soldiers heed the Party and follow the Party; we must vigorously advance the anti-corruption struggle and improve the oversight system for major projects… In sum, we must give full play to the unique advantages of strengthening the military through politics and continuously transform the Party's leadership advantages into development advantages.

— "The fundamental aim and the standard of evaluation for high-quality advancement of national defense and military modernization is always combat effectiveness (战斗力)."

The People's Army is forever a fighting force; the vitality of the People's Army lies in its combat effectiveness.

Advancing national defense and military modernization is aimed at elevating our military's level of modernization and actual combat capability, forging elite troops capable of fighting and winning battles, and ensuring that when the Party and the people need them, they can be deployed, can advance, and can win. This requires that the orientation toward victory in war (胜战导向) must run through every domain and the entire process of the military-strengthening enterprise; the standard of victory in war (胜战标准) must become the hard benchmark by which units at all levels conduct development and implement tasks.

We must strengthen the military application of unmanned intelligent technologies, deepen the development and use of the cyber-information system (网络信息体系); we must strengthen the integrated development of combat capability systems, conduct realistic combat-oriented assessment and evaluation (实战化检验评估), and solidly advance combat training and war preparedness (练兵备战)… Officers and soldiers across the force bear their mission on their shoulders; the road ahead is long and the burden heavy.

— "Consolidating and enhancing the integrated national strategic system and capabilities (一体化国家战略体系和能力) is the only path to high-quality advancement of national defense and military modernization."

Our national defense is the national defense of the entire people; advancing national defense and military construction and reform is the common cause of the entire Party and all the people of the country. Consolidating and enhancing the integrated national strategic system and capabilities is a strategic deployment by the Party Central Committee, made in grasp of the new situation, new tasks, and new requirements facing the building of a strong country and a strong military, with a view toward better coordinating development and security and better coordinating economic construction and national defense construction.

Strengthening cross-military-civilian governance (跨军地治理) is an inherent component of comprehensively strengthening military governance and an intrinsic requirement for consolidating and enhancing the integrated national strategic system and capabilities. In conjunction with implementing cross-military-civilian reform tasks, we must optimize institutional mechanisms, improve policies and systems, and form a cross-military-civilian work pattern (跨军地工作格局) in which each party fulfills its own responsibilities, cooperates closely, and operates in a standardized and orderly manner.

Integration (一体化) means the entire military operates as one, and the entire nation operates as one. This requires us to carry forward the fine tradition and political advantage of military-government and military-civilian unity, mobilize forces on both the military and civilian sides, and unite hearts and efforts to drive national defense and military modernization steadily and sustainably forward.

Planners: Liu Gang, Zhang Xiaosong

Editor-in-Chief: Xu Yi

Lead Writer: Mei Changwei

Visuals: Jin Xiaoqian, Yang Ru, Hao Xiaojing

Original Chinese

中共中央政治局7月30日下午就高质量推进国防和军队现代化进行第二十七次集体学习。习近平总书记在主持学习时强调，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。这次集体学习在八一建军节前夕举行。走过99年非凡历程的人民军队正处在国防和军队现代化新“三步走”战略转进的历史关口。 “十五五”时期，怎样高质量推进国防和军队现代化？这次主持集体学习时，习近平总书记作出重要指示，为全军强化政治引领，聚力备战攻坚，奋力开创国防和军队现代化新局面提供了根本遵循、指明了前进方向。 ——“政治建军是人民军队立军之本，关乎国防和军队现代化建设方向和底色。” 强军首先要在政治上强，政治上强是最根本的强。这些年，以习近平同志为核心的党中央以巨大政治勇气和强烈历史担当领导推进政治建军、政治整训，坚定不移全面从严治党、全面从严治军，决心之大前所未有，力度之大前所未有，新时代政治建军取得历史性成就。事实证明，如果没有政治上的革命性锻造，就不可能有新时代人民军队伟大变革。“十五五”时期要如期实现建军一百年奋斗目标、高质量推进国防和军队现代化，必须坚持好、运用好、发展好政治建军这个重要法宝。要坚持和加强党对军队的绝对领导，全面落实新时代政治建军方略，加强理论武装，深化思想整风，打牢官兵听党话、跟党走的思想根基；要深入推进反腐败斗争，健全重大项目监管体系……总之，就是要充分发挥政治建军特有优势，持续不断把党的领导优势转化为发展优势。 ——“高质量推进国防和军队现代化，根本指向和检验标准始终是战斗力。” 人民军队永远是战斗队，人民军队的生命力在于战斗力。推进国防和军队现代化，为的就是提升我军现代化水平和实战能力，锻造能打仗、打胜仗的精兵劲旅，确保在党和人民需要的时候拉得出、上得去、打得赢。这就要求，胜战导向必须贯穿于强军事业各领域全过程；胜战标准必须成为各级各部队搞建设、抓落实的硬杠杠。要加强无人智能技术军事应用，深化网络信息体系建设运用；要加强作战能力体系集成，搞好实战化检验评估，扎实推进练兵备战……广大官兵使命在肩、任重道远。 ——“巩固提高一体化国家战略体系和能力，是高质量推进国防和军队现代化的必由之路。” 我们的国防是全民的国防，推进国防和军队建设改革是全党全国人民的共同事业。巩固提高一体化国家战略体系和能力，是党中央把握强国强军面临的新形势新任务新要求，着眼于更好统筹发展和安全、更好统筹经济建设和国防建设作出的战略部署。加强跨军地治理是全面加强军事治理的应有之义，是巩固提高一体化国家战略体系和能力的内在要求。要结合落实跨军地改革任务，优化体制机制，完善政策制度，形成各司其职、紧密协作、规范有序的跨军地工作格局。一体化，意味着全军一盘棋、全国一盘棋。这就要求我们发扬军政军民团结的优良传统和政治优势，调动军地各方力量，凝心聚力推动国防和军队现代化行稳致远。策划：柳刚、张晓松主编：徐毅主笔：梅常伟视觉：金小茜、杨茹、郝晓静