Beijing Holds Seminar on Jiang Zemin Military Thought for Centenary

A seminar on Jiang Zemin's defense and military building thought was convened in Beijing to commemorate the centenary of the late Chinese leader's birth, according to a report by the PLA Daily. The meeting highlighted Jiang's historical contributions to military transformation and ensuring the armed forces could fight and win while maintaining political loyalty. Participants emphasized that advancing contemporary defense modernization requires upholding Xi Jinping Thought on Strengthening the Military, advancing political army building, and preparing for the military's upcoming centenary goals.

The seminar serves as a key institutional component of official commemorations marking Jiang Zemin's centenary. It illustrates how the People's Liberation Army synthesizes the theoretical legacies of past leaders while channeling that continuity to reinforce political loyalty and strategic alignment under Xi Jinping's current military framework ahead of the PLA's 2027 centenary objectives.

A theoretical seminar focused on Jiang Zemin's defense and military building thought was held in Beijing on August 14 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the late leader's birth, according to a report by the military's official newspaper, the PLA Daily. The seminar highlighted the role of Jiang's military thinking in navigating the global revolution in military affairs and the domestic expansion of China's socialist market economy during his tenure. According to official accounts, Jiang's framework addressed core strategic challenges regarding how to advance military transformation with Chinese characteristics while ensuring that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) could win modern conflicts and retain its core political character. Participants noted that Jiang's defense theories enriched Marxist military doctrine and provided essential security guarantees for building socialism with Chinese characteristics during a critical transitional era for the nation's armed forces. At the same time, the seminar placed heavy emphasis on linking historical doctrine to present-day political and strategic priorities. Attendees stressed the necessity of keeping theoretical armaments aligned with practical developments on what Beijing terms the "new journey." In particular, the gathering underlined the importance of grasping the decisive significance of the "Two Establishes" and consistently applying Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Official remarks called for deep study and implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on Strengthening the Military. The meeting concluded with calls to persistently advance political army building, comprehensively enhance combat readiness and training, and pursue high-quality defense modernization to achieve the PLA's centenary goals with a renewed political outlook.