PLA Daily Editorial Emphasizes Party Control Ahead of Military Centenary

On August 1, 2026, marking the 99th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), a PLA Daily editorial called for upholding and strengthening the Communist Party's absolute leadership over the armed forces. Published by China Military Online, the commentary highlighted the high-quality advancement of national defense and military modernization as China approaches key strategic developmental targets.

As the People's Liberation Army approaches its 2027 centenary, the official Army Day editorial serves as an authoritative political signal of top leadership priorities, reinforcing strict party discipline alongside military transformation goals.

On August 1, 2026, marking the 99th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), official military media published an editorial calling for the unwavering maintenance and strengthening of the Communist Party of China's absolute leadership over the armed forces. The editorial, published in the PLA Daily and distributed by China Military Online, framed political loyalty as the cornerstone for high-quality defense and military modernization. The commentary highlighted that national development has entered a critical period of laying foundations and expanding efforts toward basic socialist modernization. It noted that the armed forces are operating at a pivotal juncture in their long-term defense strategy, urging military personnel to remain focused on combat readiness, political transformation, and achieving the Party's military development goals for the new era. Reflecting on the history of the PLA since the Nanchang Uprising 99 years ago, the commentary emphasized that the armed forces have historically succeeded by adhering strictly to Party command. It cited past struggles—from early revolutionary campaigns to modern missions safeguarding national sovereignty, security, territorial integrity, and executing disaster relief—as evidence of the military's foundational allegiance to the Party. Looking ahead, the publication underlined the need to advance defense capabilities through structural, technological, and ideological training. Official rhetoric routinely links these internal reforms to strategic objectives as the military approaches its 2027 centenary target, a key milestone established by leadership to modernize military posture and operational effectiveness. While official statements consistently stress high-quality development and political alignment, specific operational details and resource allocations were not detailed in the publication. Analysts continue to watch how these high-level political directives shape practical force generation and institutional reform in the coming year.