The Liberation Army Daily, the newspaper of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), has called on enhancing the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party over the PLA.

It criticizes the hostile forces that want to change the nature of the by attempting to turn it into a non-party and non-political Army.

In an editorial in memory of the 78th founding anniversary of the army, the PLA reiterated its loyalty to the absolute leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Monday.

The Army is now accelerating the pace of promoting military reforms with China's own characteristics by upholding the great banners of Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of "Three Represents", further implementing Jiang Zemin's thought on the development of defense and military services, and seriously implementing a series of important instructions by Hu Jintao, chairman of the Central Military Commission, says the editorial, entitled "To Take Big Strides under the Absolute Leadership of the Party".

It attributes the success of the PLA to the adamant leadership of the Party, which has ensured the Army to grow up from small to large and from weak to strong and win victory after victory.

"The history of our Army is a history of adherence to the Party's leadership over the Army," says the editorial.

It quoted Hu as saying that the Party's absolute leadership over the Army is the soul of the Army, which is a principle that must never be changed and it has to be further emphasized under the new historic circumstances.

Source: Xinhua