NEWS AND ANALYSIS:
President Xi Jinping said Wednesday that the ruling Chinese Communist Party must strengthen and further modernize its military forces and continue to embrace Marxist ideology.
In a speech marking the anniversary of the founding of the CCP 105 years ago, Mr. Xi also vowed to stamp out corruption within the party and emphasized continued political control over the People’s Liberation Army.
“We must advance the modernization of national defense and the armed forces,” Mr. Xi told a gathering of party leaders and members in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People.
On Taiwan, the CCP general secretary and Central Military Commission chairman, repeated a commitment to annexing Taiwan, the self-ruled democratic island and unofficial U.S. ally.
China will “oppose interference by external forces” regarding what he called Taiwan “secessionists” without mentioning the forces by name.
China currently is engaged in an aggressive propaganda campaign targeting Japan following statements in November by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. The Japanese leader said a Chinese blockade of Taiwan would produce a “survival threatening situation” for Japan, a condition that would signal a potential military response.
Mr. Xi also pressed President Trump on Taiwan during their summit in Beijing in May. The Trump administration announced after the summit it is reviewing a $14 billion U.S. arms sale to Taipei in what critics say appears to be a return to appeasement of Beijing.
“Resolving the Taiwan question and realizing the complete unification of the motherland is an unswerving historical mission of our party and the shared aspiration of all Chinese people,” he said.
The CCP now claims 101 million members promoting what Mr. Xi calls “rejuvenation” — a strategic concept that U.S. analysts say is code for CCP global hegemony and continued repression internally.
Mr. Xi since coming to power in 2012 has revived communism. He is promoting a version called socialism with Chinese characteristics through programs such as the Belt and Road Initiative and a global governance initiative, mainly in less developed nations.
“We must continuously promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity,” he said, using the party slogan for promoting Chinese communism.
On illicit activities within the party, Mr. Xi said the CCP must “resolutely wage the critical, protracted and comprehensive battle against corruption.”
The Chinese leader has led a campaign to end corruption that U.S. intelligence analysts have said is meant in part to disguise greater consolidation of power by Mr. Xi.
Hundreds of CCP officials, including two defense ministers and key leaders of the Central Military Commission, the party organ that controls the military, have been ensnared in the purges.
The commission has been reduced from seven members to two — Mr. Xi as chairman and one other general.
The CCP has set as a strategic goal achieving communist modernization and a “strong military” by 2049 — 100 years after seizing power.
The latest annual U.S. intelligence threat assessment said key Chinese military advances include a third aircraft carrier, a new hypersonic-tipped DF-27 ballistic missile; new multiple rocket launchers and advanced electronic warfare weapons.
“The PLA has improved its force structure, readiness, and training [and] … has made particular progress in critical areas, such as modernizing key ground forces, expanding its navy with more modern combatants, and fielding a wide variety of new missile systems,” the report said.
The Pentagon’s latest report on the Chinese military states: “China’s top military strategy focuses squarely on overcoming the United States through a whole-of-nation mobilization effort that Beijing terms ’national total war.’”
“Time stops for no one, and neither does history,” Mr. Xi said, noting the party is facing risks and challenges, “high winds and raging waves, and even violent storms.”
Philippines ’Dragon Slayer’ at RIMPAC
The U.S. military’s largest international exercise known as Rim of the Pacific, or RIMPAC, is underway near Hawaii with military forces from 31 nations and around 40 warships, five submarines, 140 aircraft and more than 25,000 troops.
For the first time since the biennial exercises were held, a Philippines coast guard ship is taking part — a clear signal to China that has been locked in tense standoffs with the Philippines over disputed South China Sea island.
The Philippines coast guard ship now in Hawaii for the war games is not just any vessel.
China’s navy and coast guard have harassed Philippine vessels for years, firing water cannons and attempting to ram Manila’s vessels.
The BRP Gabriela Silang is the largest coast guard ship in the fleet and its leader is Capt. Jomark U. Angue.
The coast guard ship made the long journey across the Pacific in the weeks leading up to RIMPAC that began June 24. The cutter took part in joint exercises near Hawaii with the U.S. Coast Guard prior to joining the major international exercise.
Capt. Angue is known Philippine maritime circles as “The Dragon Slayer” and with good reason.
In August, Capt. Angue was the skipper of the Philippine coast guard vessel Suluan that was on a resupply mission to the disputed Scarborough shoal in the South China Sea.
During the operation a Chinese People’s Liberation Army destroyer attempted to ram the Suluan but instead collided with Chinese coast guard cutter, ripping its bow off. The incident was a major embarrassment for the Chinese.
But it established Capt. Angue as a hero who stood up to Chinese military harassment.
The incident occurred inside the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and drew condemnation from around the region.
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, ranking member of the House Select Committee on the CCP at the time, called the Chinese collision “a dangerous escalation.”
“China’s campaign to dominate the South China Sea by force threatens stability, peace, and prosperity across the Indo-Pacific, as the Philippines and other nations defend their legitimate interests,” the Illinois Democrat said.
“Beijing must comply with international law and immediately end its coercive maritime actions.”
BRP Gabriela Silang also is no stranger to South China Sea confrontations with China. The vessel in January 2025 went bow-to-bow against the large Chinese coast guard ship numbered CGG-5901, a 540-foot vessel dubbed the “Monster.”
Space Force adds new mobile satellite jammer
A new electronic warfare system called Meadowlands is now operational and capable of disrupting enemy satellites, the Space Force announced Friday.
The force’s Combat Forces Command deployed the new system June 8, describing the jammer as a significant new military capability to augment the electronic warfare power at U.S. combatant commands.
The trailer-towed system will allow troops to detect, deny, disrupt, and degrade enemy satellites and other electronic forces, the statement said.
“Meadowlands is a critical upgrade to the Counter Communications System (CCS) 10.2,” the statement said, describing it as an advancement in the Pentagon’s reversible and nonreversible anti-satellite weapons.
The CCS is the first publicly acknowledged space weapon capable of disrupting satellite signals.
The Meadowlands’ first operational unit is under the control of the command’s Mission Delta 3 group that trains and equips electronic warriors.
“This upgraded system enables us to more effectively and efficiently support the joint scheme of maneuver across the continuum of conflict,” said Space Force Lt. Col. Ryan Skilling, 4th Electromagnetic Warfare Squadron commander.
During the June 2025 bombing operation against Iran’s nuclear facilities known as Operation Midnight Hammer, electronic warfare forces created a “silence zone” against enemy communications that allowed U.S. stealth bombers to avoid detection and conduct attacks, the statement said.
It is not clear from the statement whether Meadowlands was used in the bombing raid.
Space weapons continue to be closely held secrets.
The Space Force is fielding three electronic satellite jammers and racing to match the more advanced space weapons deployed by China and Russia, which include arsenals of anti-satellite weapons.
“The service has and will continue to invest in a full range of counterspace capabilities to deter conflict in space and to win decisively if called upon.
Space Force Gen. B. Chance Saltzman, chief of space operations, told The Washington Times in February.
For the Pacific Command, the system will be part of Commander Adm. Sam Paparo’s priority weapon of equipment capable of countering Chinese command and control systems.
The four-star admiral stated in a recent independent assessment to Congress that he requested $6.4 billion in the fiscal 2027 budget for unspecified “near-term space control capabilities,” including $146 million for Space Force electromagnetic warfare weapons.
• Contact Bill Gertz on X @BillGertz.
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