China's armed forces must "stay absolutely loyal" to the party, especially on Tibet
Lhasa (AsiaNews) - Chinese soldiers stationed in Tibet must "stay absolutely loyal and reliable" to the central leadership, said Central Military Commission vice-chairman General Guo Boxiong, on an inspection trip to the Himalayan region. "In the run up to the party's 18th national congress, more efforts should be made to ensure the army's absolute obedience, loyalty and reliability to the party, aside from high solidarity, security and stability among the troops," he added.
The general urged increased ideological education for the armed forces to maintain ideological and political consistency between the army and the Communist Party's central leadership, Xinhua reported.
The report did not specify the date of the visit, the exact location, or who accompanied Guo to the Himalayan region. However, it does betray the central government's fears vis-à-vis Tibet, a province that has not fully accepted integration into China since Mao's army occupied it.
Even though the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Diaspora do not demand independence, but real religious and cultural autonomy, Beijing is scared of protests and self-immolation that have continued since 2008.
General Guo's appeal is thus no surprise. At the upcoming party congress in October, Hu Jintao's fourth generation will be replaced by the fifth generation headed by Vice President Xi Jinping.
As the Communist Party loses support, it has become increasingly reliant on the People's Liberation Army (PLA) to maintain its absolute power.
PLA watcher Antony Wong Dong said yesterday the party congress was obviously the most crucial political event.
"It is no wonder Guo has made such a visit to ensure social and political stability in the remote area just months ahead of the meeting" for the area is not only a source of tensions but is also an outpost on the border with India.
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06/06/2019 19:49
