The Chinese military has expressed its willingness to upgrade its combat tactics to include offensive maneuvers, not just self-defense, in the first such statement on a comprehensive modernization plan for the armed forces.
In a formal suspension of social networking platforms, the PLA stressed the need to "integrate ground forces with air capabilities while anticipating enemy movements with special attacks."
The comment came as Chinese President Xi Jinping announced a strategic restructuring of the world's largest army in terms of personnel.
Proactive planning
"Proactive planning can break the negative attitude and completely control how the war should go," said the commentary, quoted by the South China Morning Post.
"If a ground war is worth relying on pre-designed plans, the troops can strike the enemies in a nutshell and take advantage of the weapons to a large extent, making the probability of victory closer to us," he said.
The military stressed the need to integrate UAV technology into military strategy, adding that China's growing interests mean it will need to deal with US forces, which maintain about 279 bases in the Asia-Pacific region.
Washington has offered implicit military and diplomatic support to Taiwan, a self-governing Taiwan, defying China's demands for sovereignty over the island in the South China Sea.
In order to prepare the country to deal with any possible military conflict, the Chinese president quickly requested the implementation of the restructuring plan of the armed forces.
Xi said at the Central Military Commission meeting that the implementation of these changes is "a great political responsibility," the official Xinhua news agency reported.
World Army
At the 19th CPC Congress last year, Shi pledged to transform the People's Liberation Army (PLA), which once engaged in underground guerrilla warfare to a world army by 2050.
As tensions with the United States escalated over the regional dispute in the South China Sea and the trade war between the two countries, the Chinese president stepped up his quest to prepare the country for fighting.
Last month, the Chinese leader called on the Southern Theater Command, which overlooks both Taiwan and the South China Sea, to "focus on preparing for war," according to the army's official website.
While the country's navy conducted a large-scale demonstration of force in the region last April, the president spoke of the need to build a stronger naval force.
While the US military has a strong leadership in power over China and even Russia, a number of defense officials have expressed concern over what they saw as a gap in the shrinking power between the Pentagon and its Chinese rival.
China's focus on naval power has raised questions about the future of US military dominance in the region.
China has strengthened its military ties with Russia and other regional powers in an effort to strengthen its expanding global presence.
