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Chinese PM calls for high-tech army

BEIJING: China's military should improve its combat effectiveness by harnessing new high technology and upgrading its arsenal, Prime Minister Zhu Rongji told parliament on Sunday.

"We should energetically support efforts to improve the quality of the People's Liberation Army, continuing to strengthen the army through science and technology and upgrading its weapons and equipment," he said in his annual report to the National People's Congress.

Zhu did not directly link his call for boosting the military to his government's recent policy white paper which threatened an invasion if Taiwan continued to rebuff moves toward reunification.

China has voiced strong opposition to a proposed US national missile defense plan and a joint US-Japan theater missile defense proposal in East Asia.

Beijing also considers Taiwan, which it regards as a renegade province, as the most sensitive issue facing Sino-US relations and has been adamantly opposed to the sale of high tech US weaponry to the island.

"We should improve the army's defence capabilities and combat effectiveness, fully taking into consideration modern technology, especially high technology," Zhu said.

He also called for boosting "the reform, restructuring and development efforts of the national defence-related technology industry.

"Reform of the national defence mobilisation system should be continued and the militia and the reserves strengthened".ÑAFP