On March 19, 2012, People’s Liberation Army Daily published an editorial criticizing the idea of nationalizing the military. The editorial firmly rejected the ideas of “non-affiliation between the military and the CCP, depoliticizing the military, and the nationalization of the military.” “[We] must unswervingly uphold the principle of the absolute leadership of the Party over the military and ensure that the military follows the command of the Party and Hu Jintao, the President of our country and the Chairman of the Party’s Military Commission.”
The PLA editorial was published immediately after the abrupt removal of Bo Xilai, the former Party Secretary of Chongqing. His removal appears to have touched off fierce clashes among the Party’s leaders.
Source: People’s Liberation Army Daily reprinted by People’s Daily, March 19, 2012 http://wap.people.com.cn/newsView.php?sid=&cnid=1323815&chid=1_11&coid=1_11_3_1&wv=2&v=l&return=channel&fromid=&uc_param_str=dnup