Be combat ready President Xi tells PLA ahead of Chinese New Year

New Delhi, Feb 08: Chinese President, Xi Jinping has directed the People's Liberation Army (PLA) to be combat ready during the upcoming Chinese New Year holidays.

President Xi also said that they should prepare for an information warfare as key to victory over the enemy forces.

The statements were delivered during a visit to the PLA Air Force unit Southwest China's Guizhou province. The statements come in the wake of a tense standoff with India as well as along the maritime zone along the Taiwan Strait and in the South China Sea.

"During the Spring Festival, the entire army must strengthen combat readiness on duty to guard national security and the happiness and tranquillity of the people," Xi said.

The Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival holidays are the most important ones on the Chinese calendar. 100s of millions travel back home while ministries and government departments either work with minimal staff or are on holiday.

Xi also said that in modern wars, the right to control information has become the key to victory in the war.

The Chinese PLA has stepped up operations along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

There has been fresh beefing up of artillery guns, surface to missile units and self propelled howitzers.

The PLA is undertaking fresh deployment in all the three sectors with fresh constructions of revetments in the finger area of Pangong Tso. There has also been fresh deployment of 35 military vehicles and four 155 mm PLZ 83 self propelled howitzers in sheds just 82 kilometres from the LAC across Ghuman in east Ladakh.

Sources say that there is additional deployment of vehicles, heavy equipment and new construction work is also taking place in the past month near the Rudok surveillance facility, which is 90 kilometres away from the LAC.

The PLA is also strengthening its positions around the Spanggur Tso with the induction of firepower and troops. The Chinese Army has also moved a surface to air missile unit near the PLA camp in Lhasa, which is 228 kilometres away from the Indian border. A new shelter comprising 5 barracks has also been observed across the Lipulekh pass along with multi barrel rocket launchers at the Rubinkha PLA camp, which is 23 kilometres away from the India-China Tri-junction.