High-ranking officers of the People's Liberation Army have voiced support for President Xi Jinping's instructions to build a strong military.

PLA Daily on Wednesday published articles by chiefs of seven military area commands, the air force and the armed police as well as senior leaders of the navy, the second artillery force, the general political department and general staff department.

Comments on national defense and building strong armed forces made by Xi, who is chairman of the Central Military Commission, were echoed by the chiefs and senior leaders.

The use of the air force at sea must be strengthened to safeguard China's maritime rights and tackle various threats from the ocean, according a piece by Air Force commander Ma Xiaotian.

He highlighted enhanced information support, systematic combat capacities and exercises in real war situations at sea.

"(We must) ensure to fulfill our mission effectively as soon as Chairman Xi and the CMC give an order," Ma said in his article.

Zhang Shibo, Beijing Military Area commander, said the rule of law in military construction must be implemented, and anyone violating laws and regulations must be severely punished.

Military leaders must be subject to strict management and take the lead in obeying laws to build a strong army, Zhang said.

Shenyang Military Area Commander Wang Jiaocheng and Guangzhou Military Area Commander Xu Fenlin emphasized the importance of establishing and implementing standards for combat capacities, while Liu Yuejun, Lanzhou Military Area Commander, pledged to consolidate border defense in northwestern China.

Military reform, strategic thinking and combat preparedness were also discussed by chiefs of the military area commands in Jinan, Nanjing and Chengdu.

The navy will step up developing new combat platforms and weapons for strikes, and improve information support during maritime wars, said Tian Zhong, deputy commander of the navy.

The navy will strengthen exercises under the electromagnetic environment in unfamiliar and complicated sea waters, he said.

The second artillery force is striving to improve informatization to build strong missile troops, said Wang Jiurong, the force's deputy commander.

Yi Xiaoguang, assistant to the chief of staff, underscored military and civilian integration, with cooperation in sea, air and space as well as information, of which the country is in urgent need. Integration will be at higher levels and more coordinated.

(China Daily USA 04/04/2014 page3)