1st Ld-Writethru: Xi stresses grassroots consolidation in building stronger army

Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed strengthening grassroots units to build a stronger army, while he was addressing troops based in Kunming in southwest China's Yunnan Province.

Xi, also chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), told the soldiers that they should follow the instructions of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the CMC, and make efforts to consolidate the basis of army building and promote army building at grassroots level.

Xi visited the 14th army group, and commended its achievements in recent years, adding that soldiers should fear neither hardship nor death.

Next on the visit agenda was the military base of the second artillery corps, which is a strategic force of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

After the visits, Xi urged officers and soldiers to resolutely follow the Party's instructions, and to guarantee the army's "high degree of unity, purity and solidarity", amid constant work style revamp.

Moreover, he identified key areas that would support stronger grassroots units, including strengthening CPC committees in the military, heightening combat readiness, mobilizing the active roles of officers and soldiers, and implementing the rule of law.

Xi was in the province for an inspection tour, which lasted from Jan. 19 to 21, his first domestic inspection tour in 2015.

During the tour, Xi addressed poverty reduction, environmental protection, disaster relief and other agendas. He sought to rally support for a "tough battle" against poverty, and to speed up growth in the country's relatively underdeveloped ethnic regions. Endi