Xi: Upgrade military, defense in new era

Armed forces must prepare to handle complicated, difficult situations, he says

President Xi Jinping urged the Chinese military on Tuesday to get ready to handle all types of complicated and difficult situations to safeguard the country's sovereignty, security and development interests.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remark on Tuesday as he attended a plenary meeting of the military delegation to the fourth session of the 13th National People's Congress, which opened in Beijing on Friday.

There are 288 national legislators from the armed forces, the largest group of lawmakers in the 13th NPC.