Chinese President Hu Jintao (R5) and Vice-President Xin Jinping (R4) shake hands with deputies of the Party congress of People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy and attendants for the meeting of the PLA's armament work in Beijing Tuesday. [Photo/Xinhua]
China's Hu Urges Navy To Prepare For Combat -- Yahoo News/AFP
Chinese President Hu Jintao Tuesday urged the navy to prepare for military combat amid growing regional tensions over maritime disputes and a US campaign to assert itself as a Pacific power.
The navy should "accelerate its transformation and modernisation in a sturdy way, and make extended preparations for military combat in order to make greater contributions to safeguard national security," he said.
Addressing the powerful Central Military Commission, Hu said: "Our work must closely encircle the main theme of national defence and military building."
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Update: China's navy urged to prepare for combat -- Radio Australia
My Comment: The US response to the Chinese President's call that the Chinese navy must be prepared for conflict is .... China has the right to develop it's military. Hmmmm .... I suspect that many of America's allies in Asia will be wondering on what exactly is the message that the U.S. is trying to convey. As for the Chinese .... their message is very clear.