Xi urges hi-tech smart systems for border defense

President of China, Xi urges hi-tech smart systems for border defense given the maritime opportunities and challenges.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has emphasized the importance of incorporating advanced technology and developing a smart system for border defense to tackle new challenges and opportunities, given China’s ongoing land and maritime territorial disputes with its neighbors.

These directives were issued during a group study session attended by the 24-member Politburo, the Communist Party’s top policymaking body, on Tuesday.

Xi stressed the need to enhance technological capabilities in border defense, develop new strategies for border, maritime, and air defense, and build an integrated and intelligent management and control system.

Xi’s directives are consistent with his previous calls to modernize the armed forces by 2027 and achieve the goal of establishing a world-class military by 2050.

Although the specifics of the smart systems were not detailed during Tuesday’s meeting, a previous article in the PLA Daily, the official newspaper of the People’s Liberation Army, highlighted technological advancements in border defense. These include modernized reconnaissance, surveillance, and early warning networks for efficient monitoring, as well as the deployment of unmanned weapons systems equipped with artificial intelligence.

Xi emphasized the importance of developing a strong and modern border defense system, along with robust air and sea defense capabilities. This is important to protect China’s national security and interests.

He noted that the world is undergoing significant changes, with increasingly complex factors affecting national security. Xi pointed out that the construction of border, maritime, and air defense systems now faces new opportunities and challenges.

China faces tensions on multiple fronts, including a military standoff with India in eastern Ladakh since May 2020. Despite 21 rounds of Corps Commander-level talks, the standoff remains, with disengagement agreed upon in four key areas.

Xi called for strengthened overall coordination to ensure border security. He emphasized that managing China’s border defense involves the cooperation of multiple military and civilian departments.

As Xi urges hi-tech smart systems for border defense, he advocated for combined efforts by the military, police, civilians, and local governments to secure the borders. He praised recent border defense reforms and significant actions taken to safeguard China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights.