An online air defense exercise, the first of its kind in the country, was held Thursday in Tianjin Municipality, the largest coastal city in north China.

General Cao Gangchuan, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) and member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, observed the military exercise.

In an address, Cao urged CPC committees and governments of all levels to well accomplish the work of air defense and build air defense facilities through reform, innovation and multi-channel investment.

Also present were Zhang Lichang, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the municipal CPC committee, and Liang Guanglie, CMC member and chief of general staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army.

(Xinhua News Agency July 16, 2004)