Chinese president Xi Jinping has signed an order that amended the country's National Defence Law, which gives the Central Military Commission (CMC) greater power to mobilize resources in the national interest. The CMC is headed by the Chinese president himself.
According to China's official news agency Xinhua , the revised regulations which are effective from January 1, are focused on "war preparedness and combat capabilities". The Xinhua report further adds that they (Preparedness and combat capabilities) define the basic tasks, contents, and management mechanisms for military equipment work under the new situation and system.
As reported by the state media, the document comprised 100 stipulations in 14 chapters and it follows the general principle of the CMC exercising overall leadership, theater commands responsible for military operations, and the services focusing on developing capabilities.
The draft of the amendment was released last year and it notes that “When China's sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, and security and development interests are under threat, the country can conduct nationwide or local defense mobilization”.
"Development Interests" was the phrase that was an addition to the new law, while experts say that it also includes the protection of the country's economic activities and assets overseas.
The amendment also says that "China will participate in global security governance, join multilateral security talks and push for and set up a set of international rules that is widely accepted, fair and reasonable”, State media reported.
The experts say that the amendments were also aimed at increasing the control exercised by the CMC. As per them, the broader goal of the amendments is to increase the speed of modernization plans for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
