Chinese State Media Call for Final Push Ahead of PLA Centenary Target

Ahead of August 1, official Chinese media commentaries published by China Military Online and People's Daily marked the People's Liberation Army's 99th anniversary by urging troops to focus on combat readiness and key development milestones. The commentaries stressed that the PLA has entered a critical window for reaching its centenary goal on August 1, 2027. Citing remarks by President Xi Jinping, the publication called on personnel across all military domains to address increasingly severe challenges through rigorous training, ideological loyalty, and practical execution.

As the PLA approaches its 100th anniversary in 2027, official communications emphasize that the army is entering a critical window for fulfilling its key modernization targets. This highlights the high priority attached by Chinese leadership to defense capabilities and readiness.

Ahead of the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) 99th founding anniversary on August 1, official Chinese state media outlets—including China Military Online and People's Daily—published a commentary urging service members to focus on combat readiness and fulfilling long-term modernization targets. The commentary, authored by Zhang Shunliang in the People's Daily edition, framed the 99th anniversary as an important milestone for the final push toward the military's centenary anniversary on August 1, 2027. The publication stressed that reaching the 2027 centenary goal for military development has now entered a "critical period." Describing this milestone as a historical responsibility that the armed forces must deliver on, the text called on troops stationed at border defense posts, naval units conducting deep-sea patrols, and air defense forces guarding national airspace to remain at high readiness and prioritize practical combat capabilities. Highlighting the strategic imperatives driving defense work, the commentary quoted Chinese President and Central Military Commission Chairman Xi Jinping as stating, "the greater the cause, the more it is filled with challenges, and the more necessary it is to bear heavy responsibilities." State media noted that the security environment facing China's military on this journey is becoming increasingly severe, with strategic tasks becoming more arduous and demanding. To navigate these challenges, the article instructed military personnel regardless of their role or position to integrate ideological loyalty with concrete performance. Emphasizing rigorous training, practical execution, and overcoming technical or operational difficulties, the text maintained that the best way to honor historical anniversaries is to focus single-mindedly on uncompleted military objectives as the PLA approaches its 100th anniversary.