China's Central Military Commission (CMC) said it will reorganize the army groups of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Army, streamlining the previous 18 army groups to 13, Defense Ministry spokesperson Yang Yujun said Thursday.
Yang told a monthly press conference on Thursday that the adjustment is a key step to build a modern army and to enhance its capability.
China had also announced a military reshuffle with 84 corps-level units adjusted or established, a move hailed by Chinese President Xi Jinping as another major step in strengthening the country's armed forces.
Xi, who is also CMC chairman and general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks in a meeting with senior military officers Tuesday in Beijing.
A decision the CPC Central Committee and the CMC made, the reshuffle is important in building a strong armed forces through reform, said Xi.
The Hong Kong-based Ta Kung Pao newspaper reported on Wednesday that the newly formed 13 army groups would be assigned to the five newly-established theater commands, with each having two to three army groups.
China announced series of military reforms since late 2016, and with those reforms, the country's armed forces have transformed into a system in which the CMC is tasked with overall administration, while theater commands focus on combat preparedness, and various armed services pursue development, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
