PLA Daily Commentary on Anti-Corruption Pivots to Future Planning & Combat Effectiveness - Sergei Shoigu Opposes 'Japan’s Attempts to Accelerate Re-militarization'

Front-page commentaries on the anti-corruption campaign following the ouster of Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli continue in the PLA Daily today. The article today is rather different from the pieces over the weekend. This one is much more forward-looking, focussing on the 2027 goal and the agenda for the 15th FYP. There’s no real emphasis on organisational issues. There are warnings for senior officials and cadres, but these are not the central focus of the article.

The two big takeaways from me are the attempts to stress combat readiness and combat effectiveness, along with the warning around the need for officials to “strictly guard the ideological defense line, the bottom line in the use of power, the red line of law and discipline, and the boundary line of family conduct.”

Here’s a full breakdown:

The pace of self-revolution never stops, and the process of growing stronger by striving for strength is unstoppable. The resolute investigation and handling of corrupt elements such as Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli clears away the tigers blocking the road and stumbling blocks that affect the development of the cause. It squeezes out the water content (挤去水分) from combat-capability construction, stirs up the essence, energy, and spirit of struggling and storming fortifications, and it injects powerful momentum into the development of the cause of strengthening the military. All officers and soldiers must unify their thinking and actions with the major decisions and deployment of the Party Central Committee, the Central Military Commission, and Chairman Xi; profoundly grasp the pattern and general trend that the more thorough the anti-corruption, the more solid the foundation for tackling difficulties, and the stronger the foundation for strengthening the military; see the the new ethos and upright spirit brought about by the in-depth advancement of political rectification, work-style correction, discipline enforcement, and anti-corruption; and devote all their thoughts and energy to strengthening the military and achieving victory in battle, and through concrete actions demonstrate their loyalty to the Party and strive forward toward a first-class strong military. 自我革命的步伐永不停歇，向强图强的进程不可阻挡。坚决查处张又侠、刘振立等腐败分子，清除的是影响事业发展的拦路虎、绊脚石，挤去的是战斗力建设的水分，激荡的是奋斗攻坚的精气神，为强军事业发展注入强大动力。全军官兵要把思想和行动统一到党中央、中央军委和习主席的重大决策部署上来，深刻认识反腐越彻底、攻坚越托底、强军越有底的规律大势，看到深入推进政治整训、正风肃纪反腐带来的新风正气，把全部心思和精力放在强军胜战上，以实际行动践行对党忠诚、奋进强军一流.

Our army is a people’s army under the Party’s absolute leadership, and is the steel Great Wall of the Party and the state. On the new era and new journey, Chairman Xi’s steering the strengthening of the military at the helm and the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Strengthening the Military remain the source of strength, direction, and future of the cause of strengthening the military, and the most fundamental political guarantee. The PLA steadfastly safeguards national sovereignty, security, and development interests. Its original aspiration of seeking happiness for the people and rejuvenation for the nation remains unchanged. Its conviction to listen to the Party and follow the Party remains as firm as a rock. Its will to devote itself to strengthening the military and march toward first-class remains unwavering. With even greater confidence and strength, it will shoulder the new-era mission and tasks entrusted by the Party and the people. 我军是党绝对领导下的人民军队，是党和国家的钢铁长城。新时代新征程上，习主席领航强军，习近平强军思想科学指引，始终是强军事业的力量所在、方向所在、未来所在，是最根本的政治保证。人民军队坚定捍卫国家主权、安全、发展利益，为人民谋幸福、为民族谋复兴的初心始终如一，听党话、跟党走的信念始终如磐，矢志强军、迈向一流的意志始终坚定，更有信心、更有力量担当起党和人民赋予的新时代使命任务.

“The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Party has made strategic deployments for achieving the centennial goal of military construction on schedule, and for high-quality advancement of national defense and military modernisation. The goals point the direction, and they gather together strength. At present, as we draw ever closer to realising the centennial goal of military construction, we face numerous arduous and heavy risks and challenges, and urgently need to strengthen our sense of mission and responsibility, intensify political tempering, enhance the capability to win, and consolidate purity and glory, devoting all our efforts and vowing that success must be achieved, so as to ensure that we hand in a qualified answer sheet.” 党的二十届四中全会对如期实现建军一百年奋斗目标、高质量推进国防和军队现代化作出战略部署。目标指引方向，目标凝聚力量。现在，距离实现建军一百年奋斗目标越来越近，面临诸多艰巨繁重的风险挑战，迫切需要我们强化使命责任，加强政治锻造，提升打赢能力，巩固纯洁光荣，全力以赴、务期必成，确保交出合格答卷.

This year marks the beginning of the 15th FYP period and is a crucial year for achieving the centennial goals of the PLA. All officers and soldiers must forge firm political loyalty, strengthen belief and confidence, dare to take responsibility and act, and, based on their own posts and battle positions, do well when it comes to every bit of work and complete every task well. They must deeply advance political military construction; persistently and unremittingly use Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to arm the mind, guide practice, and promote work; fully implement the new-era strategy for political construction of the military, continuously deepen political rectification, unswervingly correct work styles, enforce discipline, and fight corruption, vigorously carry forward the glorious traditions and fine work styles of our Party and our military, and provide a strong political guarantee for the cause of strengthening the military in the new era. It is necessary to solidly grasp the initial stages of planning, highlight the theme of promoting high-quality development, scientifically formulate well and implement well the 15th FYP for military construction, carry through and implement the requirements of political military-construction throughout the entire process of plan formulation and implementation, accelerate the transformation and development of the forces, and advance national defense and military modernisation with high quality. It is necessary to comprehensively strengthen training and combat-readiness; adhere to combat effectiveness as the sole and fundamental standard; maintain a close watch on the changes in war, changes in technology, and changes in adversaries; solidly advance real-combat-oriented military training; accelerate the building of advanced combat capabilities; and be ready to fight at any time and able to win whenever called upon.

Military Party members and cadres, especially senior cadres, should take the corrupt officials who have been investigated and handled as negative examples, remember their original aspirations and missions, establish and practice a correct view of achievements, strictly guard the ideological defense line, the bottom line in the use of power, the red line of law and discipline, and the boundary line of family conduct (严守思想防线、用权底线、法纪红线、家风界线), and through concrete actions of firm belief, pragmatism, responsibility, and self-discipline, grasp work, carry out undertakings, and lead troops, using an uncompromising work style and upright image to inspire and drive the forces. 今年是“十五五”开局之年，是实现建军一百年奋斗目标的攻坚之年。全军官兵要铸牢政治忠诚，坚定信念信心，勇于担当作为，立足岗位战位做好每一项工作、完成好每一项任务。要深入推进政治建军，坚持不懈用习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想武装头脑、指导实践、推动工作，全面贯彻新时代政治建军方略，持续深化政治整训，坚定不移正风肃纪反腐，大力弘扬我党我军光荣传统和优良作风，为新时代强军事业提供坚强政治保证。要扎实抓好规划开局，突出推动高质量发展这个主题，科学编制好、实施好我军建设“十五五”规划，把政治建军要求贯彻落实到规划编制和实施全过程，加快部队转型建设，高质量推进国防和军队现代化。要全面加强练兵备战，坚持战斗力这个唯一的根本的标准，紧盯战争之变、科技之变、对手之变，扎实推进实战化军事训练，加快先进战斗力建设，随时准备打仗，随时能打胜仗。军队党员干部特别是高级干部要以被查处的腐败分子为反面教材，牢记初心使命，树立和践行正确政绩观，严守思想防线、用权底线、法纪红线、家风界线，以笃信、务实、担当、自律的实际行动抓工作干事业带队伍，以过硬作风和形象感召带动部队.

For a strong army and victory in battle, the struggle includes me; storming the fortifications and moving forward, I shall not disgrace the mission. The PLA has moved from victory to victory through struggle and practical work, and it surely will achieve its centennial glory through struggle and practical work. On the new journey, we must bear firmly in mind the entrusted instructions, ignite our fighting spirit, gather the strength for forging ahead, strive to overcome every challenge, as though conquering every ‘Loushan Pass’ and ‘Lazikou’, and unite in struggle and forge ahead with perseverance to achieve new accomplishments for the Party and the people. 强军胜战、奋斗有我，攻坚向前、不辱使命。人民军队用奋斗实干从胜利走向胜利，也必将用奋斗实干赢得百年荣光。新征程上，我们必须牢记嘱托，把精神状态激发出来，把奋进力量凝聚起来，努力攻克一个个“娄山关”“腊子口”，团结奋斗、砥砺前行，为党和人民再立新功.

Moving on, another story that I want to cover today is Wang Yi’s meeting (English report) with Sergei Shoigu, secretary of the Russian Federation Security Council.

Wang welcomed Shoigu’s visit to China for a strategic dialogue as designated by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Wang noted that the world is increasingly undergoing both changes and turbulence, with the post-war international order and norms governing international relations severely impacted, and the world faces a real risk of regressing to the law of the jungle. As major countries and permanent members of the United Nations (UN) Security Council, China and Russia have the responsibility and obligation to practice true multilateralism, safeguard the international system with the UN at its core, advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and work to build a more just and reasonable global governance system. Wang said that China and Russia are each other’s largest neighbours and comprehensive strategic partners in the new era. They should maintain close communication on major issues concerning bilateral relations, increase mutual support on issues involving each other’s core interests, and safeguard their respective and common interests. He emphasised that the leadership of the two heads of state is the greatest advantage and fundamental guarantee for the high-level development of China-Russia relations. China is willing to work with Russia to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, strengthen strategic communication, deepen strategic cooperation, and promote new progress in China-Russia relations in the new year.”

The readout adds:

Shoigu “noted that since the start of the year, the world has witnessed complex and volatile developments with frequent flare-ups of security and hotspot issues. Russia has always upheld the one-China principle, closely followed the moves of hostile forces to undermine cross-Strait stability, and firmly opposed Japan’s attempts to accelerate re-militarization…The Russian side stands ready to continue to firmly support each other with China, enhance bilateral cooperation, and strengthen coordination within multilateral mechanisms such as the UN, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and BRICS, he said. He called on both sides to jointly maintain the high-level development momentum of Russia-China relations, work to build a more just and reasonable multipolar world, and form an indivisible security architecture on the Eurasian continent.”