NEW HISTORIC MILITARY MISSIONS (giving the red army direction) —Addressing the

http://csis.org/files/publication/twq12FallScobellNathan.pdfCHINA’S NEW HISTORIC MILITARY MISSIONS

(giving the red army direction)

—Addressing the Central Military Commission (CMC), Hu formally articulated a set of four extremely broad mission areas for the armed forces, subsequently dubbed the ‘‘New Historic Missions’’:

1) ‘‘guarantee’’ the‘‘ruling position’’ of the Chinese Communist Party;

2) safeguard China’s ‘‘national development’’;

3) protect China’s ‘‘national interests’’; and

4) preserve ‘‘world peace.’’

These quickly became part of the lexicon of official Chinese defense documents and authoritative writings. —