Guo Boxiong, vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), on Sunday called on the army to step up military training and stand ready for resolutely safeguarding national security, reunification, and integrity of territory and sovereignty.

"We will make the utmost efforts with the maximum sincerity to safeguard and promote peaceful and steady development of relations across the Taiwan Straits and seek peaceful reunification," Guo said at People's Liberation Army delegation's discussion of Premier Wen Jiabao's government work report to the current session of the 10th National People's Congress (NPC).

"We resolutely oppose 'Taiwan independence' and will never allow 'Taiwan independence' secessionist forces to make Taiwan secede from China under any name and by any means," said Guo, member of the Political Bureau of the Chinese Communist Party's Central Committee.

He urged the army to step up military training and comprehensively enhance combat capability so that the army will be able to resolutely safeguard national security, reunification, and integrity of China's territory and sovereignty at the call of the motherland.

He denounced Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian's decision to stop the function of the "National Unification Council" and the application of the guidelines, adding that it is a grave step toward "de jure independence" of Taiwan.

"That's a grave provocation of the one-China principle universally accepted by the international community and a grave confrontation with all Chinese people, Taiwan people included, and an act that seriously undermines cross-Straits peace and stability, " said Guo.

CMC Vice-Chairmen Cao Gangchuan and Xu Caihou also attended the discussion.

Cao called on the PLA to push forward the enhancement of weaponry and application of information technology. Xu urged the army to implement "talent strategy" so as to improve the quality of officers and soldiers.

(Xinhua News Agency March 6, 2006)