Xi Jinping. (Photo : Getty Images)
Chinese President Xi Jinping heads a newly formed Central Commission for Integrated Military and Civilian Development experts said is vital for China's national defense.
The commission, which was launched Jan. 22, will decide and coordinate affairs on civil-military integration, which will be under the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.
The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is the armed forces of the CPC. It's controlled by the Central Military Commission of which Xi is president.
Civil-military integration is important in building China's national defense in peacetime, said Li Daguang, a professor at the National Defense University of the People's Liberation Army.
"Building national defense depends heavily on the masses. Public support is of great importance to our military."
Some local governments have promoted civil-military integration, but the new central commission will provide uniform orders, he said.
Xi has stressed the importance of the integration, describing the coordination between economic development and national defense as mutually beneficial.
The integration, which is key to realizing the goal of a strong PLA, accelerated in March 2014 when it was upgraded to a national strategy.
In May 2014, the first "military and civilian integration forum" issued a list of 200 military items, attracting more than 100 private companies.
Li said civil-military integration can be improved if the government involves Chinese companies in high-tech industries.
He noted that laws and regulations are needed for greater transparency and efficiency, "and also to prevent private companies from leaking military secrets."
China's National Defense Industry Enterprise Military and Civil Integration Industry Alliance (CNDIA) was established earlier this month.
CNDIA was co-founded by the Association of National Defense Industrial Enterprises of China, China Great Wall Industry Group and China Fortune Land Development Company.
CNDIA chief Liu Dongkui said civil-military integration has become a national strategy. But civil-military integration on the national defense level faces problems, including bureaucratic red tape and an outmoded property rights system.
