China’s PLA takes ‘significant step’ forward in combat readiness with integrated drills

‘New model for integrated training group exercises’ has reached the front lines, PLA Daily report citing Central Military Commission says

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According to a former PLA instructor, “real war requires joint training” because it is “not enough for a single branch or unit to carry out any combat mission alone”. Photo: AFP

Published: 12:00pm, 3 Dec 2024Updated: 12:32pm, 3 Dec 2024

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has achieved major progress in modernising its training programme, as it seeks to boost combat readiness in modern warfare scenarios, according to the Chinese military’s official newspaper.

“The transformation and upgrading of our military training has taken a significant step forward, as [we] explore and implement a new model for integrated training group exercises,” the PLA Daily said in a front-page report Monday.

The new model for integrated training has been rolled out on the PLA front lines, including drills on different units working as a team and coordinated use of specific tactics in battle, it said.

The next step was to make the training more realistic and closely aligned with real combat situations, leading to an overall improvement in military readiness and capability, the report said, citing the Central Military Commission, China’s highest military body that oversees the PLA and is chaired by President Xi Jinping.

China has been pushing to modernise its military, from weapons to war tactics, as it tries to narrow the gap with the United States and better prepare itself to tackle an increasingly hostile geopolitical scenario.