Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged accelerating development of military equipment systems to help build a strong army.

Addressing a conference of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) on equipment, held from Wednesday to Thursday, Xi said advanced weaponry is the embodiment of a modern army and a crucial support for national security and rejuvenation.

The building of equipment systems should be information-led and pay great attention to weapon quality, said Xi.

Equipment systems are now in a period of strategic opportunities and at a key point for rapid development, he noted.

The PLA must understand and make plans for system building in the context of the changes in both international strategic structure and Chinese national security.

A strong and modern army equipment system plays an irreplaceable role for the full realization of the Chinese Dream, Xi said, adding that the PLA must enhance political consciousness to seize the opportunity and ensure the rapid upgrading of equipment.

The equipment must be innovative, practical and forward-thinking to meet the demands of actual combat and fill in the weak spots of China's existing equipment.

Military officers at all levels should play a leading role and use actual combat to guide soldiers to improve their capacity to operate weapons, Xi said.

Xi, also chairman of the Central Military Commission, said the PLA should put a human resource strategy first by opening minds and not following a set model to establish a highly competitive talent reserve.

China's ambition for a strong military works as a guideline for the country's defense and military equipment modernization.

"We expect peace, but we shall never give up efforts to maintain our legitimate rights, nor shall we compromise our core interests, no matter when or in what circumstances," Xi said earlier this year when joining a plenary meeting of the PLA.

In the meantime, national conditions have also dictated that a well-equipped PLA is needed for multiple purposes domestically, from disaster relief to maintaining stability and national unity.

Xi, who leads the country's reform on national defense and the armed forces, stressed that military reform should be guided by the objective of building a strong army.

(Xinhua News Agency December 4, 2014)