BEIJING, July 19: The all powerful Central Military Commission seems to be visualising an increasing role for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) as the country’s interface with the world increases and as social tensions rise within the country.
The Commission finds that the major security threats to China include the renewed interest of the US in the Asia Pacific region, the Japanese claim on Diaoyu Islands, and dispute with other southeastern neighbours in the South China Sea, the rise of terrorism and extremism in the country’s northwest province of Xinjian, And of course the threat posed by “separatists forces of Tiwan independence”.
In their interaction with a group of visiting Indian journalists, senior experts of top PLA think tank, the Academy of Military Sciences that works under the Central Military Commission here sought to underline that the the army would be acquiring increasing role to defend China’s interest overseas as the country consolidates its position as a global power and goes to all continents with its economic investments.
The country’s increasing trade and economic interests have naturally widened its interface with the world, and today in addition to defending the country’s territory, the PLA was being re-oriented to act when there are threats to the country’s economic and trade interest overseas.
Besides going for deepening security cooperation with a number of countries, the PLA is also contributing to UN peacekeeping missions in all parts of the world.
Of late, there has been more emphasis on improving the quality of the armed forces than their quantity as the PLA believes that they there would be more occasion to fight local wars that full scale wars.
(UNI)
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