President Xi Jinping presents the PLA flag to Major General Deng Xiaogang, president of the National University of Defense Technology, at a ceremony on Wednesday in the Central Military Commission headquarters building in Beijing. LI GANG / XINHUA

Embrace tech, president tells military leaders

President Xi Jinping urged Chinese military institutions on Wednesday to recruit and train top-level professionals and to develop world-class theories and technologies.

Xi, also chairman of the Central Military Commission, said well-educated personnel, good theories and advanced technologies are essential to building a top-class military.

He said science and technology determine military combat capabilities so the People’s Liberation Army must make more effort in research and development and continue to boost innovation.

Xi made the remarks at a ceremony on Wednesday at the Central Military Commission headquarters building in Beijing that marked the establishment of the new PLA Academy of Military Science, PLA National Defense University and PLA National University of Defense Technology.

He presented the PLA flag to leaders of the three top military institutions.

The president asked the Academy of Military Science to adapt to new situations in research and development and to strengthen interorganizational and interdisciplinary innovation. He ordered the National Defense University and National University of Defense Technology to produce more commanders and professionals who are qualified for modern? joint operations.

This is the second time this year that Xi has publicly raised the importance of science and technology to the PLA. In a meeting with national legislators from the military in March, he said the PLA should take advantage of China’s achievements in science and technology to help modernize weapons and equipment.

The president told officers to look for, support and make full use of advanced technologies that can serve the military’s modernization and to assist the transfer of defense technologies to the business sector.

Wednesday’s moves seem to represent the completion of PLA’s reshuffling in its research and training system, which started at the beginning of this year. The reshuffling is part of the ongoing massive reform on China’s national defense and military, guided by Xi.

By the end of February, the PLA had 74 schools and an Academy of Military Science. Thirty-one schools were merged with others before the end of June. There are 43 military schools plus a new Academy of Military Science, according to information from the Defense Ministry.

The new Academy of Military Science, National Defense University and National University of Defense Technology have new leaders.

Lieutenant General Yang Xuejun is president of the Academy of Military Science. He was head of the former National University of Defense Technology since 2011. Yang specializes in supercomputing technology.

Lieutenant General Zheng He is president of the National Defense University. He was president of the former Academy of Military Science.

Major General Deng Xiaogang is president of the National University of Defense Technology. As an expert in aerodynamics, he served as vice-president at the university before the appointment.