Xi Jinping inspects much-purged Rocket Force

President Xi Jinping with the Rocket Force brigade. Pic/Twitter

Chinese President Xi Jinping has inspected a brigade of the military's strategic missile force that underwent a massive purge of officials for corruption in recent years, according to a media report on Saturday.

Xi on visited Hefei, the Chinese People's Liberation Army's (PLA) Rocket Force, a key arm of the military operating the missiles, including nuclear weapons, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. He urged the strategic missile troops to strengthen their deterrence and combat capabilities and resolutely fulfil the tasks entrusted by the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the people, the report said.

The Rocket Force, established in 2015 as part of Xi's military overhaul, has been at the centre of the latest anti-corruption campaign targeting the military. Besides heading the ruling CPC and the Presidency, 71-year-old Jinping also heads the Central Military Commission, the overall high command of the Chinese military.

He visited the training field of the brigade which boasts a history of over 50 years, and learned about the tactical and technical performance of the newly-introduced weaponry and equipment, and examined its training in operating the arms. In a bid to shore up the morale of the officers and soldiers, he asked them to have good command and make the best use of the weapons in their hands while living up to the trust of the party and the people, the report said.

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