BEIJING - Chinese President Hu Jintao on Monday called for the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the armed police to pay more attention to safeguarding social stability, including that of military personnel.

Hu, who is also chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), made the remarks at a plenary meeting of PLA deputies to the National People's Congress on the sidelines of the parliament's annual session.

He noted that every soldier in the military must be aware that development while maintaining stability is the priority.

Hu stressed that the PLA and the armed police must focus on national defense and army building, and adhere to the fundamental requirement of making progress while maintaining stability.

The president called for the PLA and the armed police to prioritize building the military from an ideological and political perspective and deepening preparation for combat to fulfill every assigned task and prepare for the opening of the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) later this year.

Hu praised the military for its progress in army building, reform and preparedness for combat last year and recognized the outstanding contribution by the PLA and the armed police in safeguarding national security and social stability.

Hu, who is also the General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, stressed that the PLA and the armed police must prioritize ideological and political development and unswervingly uphold the CPC's absolute leadership over the armed forces.

Hu said the military must abide by strict political and organizational disciplines to ensure all orders are implemented to the letter.

He also called for the military to enhance its fight against corruption.

The PLA and armed police must focus on the development of core military capability and actively engage in military training to increase combat capabilities, Hu said.

The president called for greater contribution from the military to promoting the country's cultural strength and soft power, and urged personnel to join a national campaign of "learning from Lei Feng," Lei being an altruistic model soldier who died in a truck accident in 1962.

Vice President and CMC Vice Chairman Xi Jinping was present at the meeting, which was presided over CMC Vice Chairman Guo Boxiong.

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