Chinese Military Vows to Enhance Strategic Capabilities in Emerging Areas
In a bold display of military prowess, a GJ-11 stealth attack drone made its parade debut during the National Day parade held in Beijing on October 1, 2019. This cutting-edge technology is just one example of China’s commitment to implementing President Xi Jinping’s call to enhance strategic capabilities in emerging areas.
President Xi, also the general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, emphasized the importance of new quality productive forces such as artificial intelligence (AI), unmanned technologies, aerospace, and cyberspace in modern warfare. He called on China’s armed forces to deepen reform, promote innovation, and forge a stronger sense of mission to comprehensively enhance strategic capabilities in emerging areas.
Military lawmakers and experts echoed President Xi’s sentiments, highlighting the crucial role of technology as the core combat capability in enhancing strategic capabilities. They emphasized the need for technology innovations and applications to effectively integrate with and boost new quality combat capabilities.
The focus on strategic capabilities in emerging areas is seen as a key aspect of major power competition and high-end warfare. Military lawmakers stressed the importance of staying ahead of development trends in fields such as big data, the Internet of Things, and AI to ensure China’s readiness for future warfare scenarios.
With unmanned and intelligentized technologies reshaping the rules of combat, integrated joint operations have become the main form of warfare. Experts believe that strategic capabilities will play a crucial role in deterring conflicts and maintaining peace and stability in the face of regional and global security challenges.
President Xi emphasized the need to deepen structural reform of defense-related science and technology industries to accelerate the supply of new quality combat capabilities. Military lawmakers highlighted the importance of converting advanced technologies into combat capabilities and solving any challenges that may arise in the process.
The commitment to enhancing strategic capabilities in emerging areas is not just the responsibility of the military but also requires collaboration with scientists, the defense industry, and politicians. By leveraging cutting-edge technologies and fostering innovation, China aims to strengthen its position in the ever-evolving landscape of modern warfare.