President Xi Jinping has moved to cement his authority over China’s army and security forces, with highly choreographed measures that bring the military further under the control of the Communist party.
A succession of speeches, mass pledges of allegiance and tearfully delivered songs by army generals and leading members of the security forces have led news bulletins in recent weeks, driving home the message that Mr Xi, in addition to being China’s civilian leader, its supreme commander.
The top story on all state media on Wednesday and Thursday was a ceremony in which the president addressed the People’s Armed Police, tasked with controlling civil disorder, and demanded they pledge absolute loyalty to the Communist party. State news channel CCTV ran an eight-minute segment on the speech.