Top PLA general calls for crackdown on ‘fake’ combat capabilities

Beijing, March 9

In a surprise development, a top Chinese military general has cast aspersions on the PLA’s much-publicised ‘real combat-oriented exercises’ as ‘fake combat capabilities’ at a time when Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered it to prepare for “maritime military struggles” to win wars. The remarks by General He Weidong came during a discussion with a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) delegation on Tuesday, according to minutes of the meeting made available to media. He is the second-ranked vice-chairman of China’s powerful Central Military Commission (CMC), the overall high command of the three armed forces headed by Xi.

Flawed equipment?

• Analysts say the message from Gen He Weidong, China’s number three military official, was brief and ambiguous, but could relate to the procurement of flawed equipment, and also deception among the ranks during training.
• Military experts are of the view that the message questions authenticity of real-time combat exercises.

Though it was just one line – Gen He called for a crackdown on ‘fake combat capabilities’ in the military — military analysts say the remark by a top official in the backdrop of the recent purges carried out by Xi, questions the authenticity of the real-time combat exercises as insisted by Xi since he took over power in 2012-13 and the quality of the equipment, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post newspaper reported on Saturday.

Xi recently sacked Defence Minister Gen Li Shangfu last year, which was followed by the removal of another nine senior generals, many of them from the key Rocket Force, which operates the country’s missile forces.

Since Xi took over, the Chinese military, at all levels, is carrying out real-time drills splitting forces into two groups to test their combat skills. Analysts say the message from Gen He, China’s number three military official, was “brief and ambiguous”, but could relate to the procurement of flawed equipment, and also deception among the ranks during training.

The Chinese government early this week hiked the defence budget by 7.2 per cent to USD 232 billion as it continues with the massive modernisation of its military amid prevailing tensions over Taiwan, the disputed South China Sea as well as border frictions with India and increasing rivalry with the US.