"To establish a strategic missile armed force and build up the Second Artillery Corps is a major strategic decision of the Communist Party Central Committee and the Central Military Commssion," state television quoted Hu as saying.

He was speaking on the 40th anniversary of the Second Artillery Corps, the nation's strategic nuclear missile force, which falls on July 1, a date that also marks the 85th anniversary of the ruling party.

Television footage showed Hu with the members of the powerful military commission on Wednesday greeting officers of the corps that has also played a key role in the development of the nation's rocketry.

"The army should bring into full play the role of science and technology and carry out reforms and innovations, so as to set up a scientific system for military training under the new circumstances," Hu said.

Hu was referring to China's efforts to build a high-tech fighting force, based on the precision bombing and information warfare used by the United States in its wars on Iraq.

The US has taken China's military modernizaton seriously with a report by the Pentagon last month saying that Beijing was building up missile forces on its southeastern coast facing Taiwan.

The regiona appeared to be the near-term focus of China's build up, it said.

It also said China was spending two to three times more on its military than the 35 billion dollars a year it has acknowledged and that such spending could result in a potential threat to the United States over the longer term.

Despite a booming trade with Taiwan, China views the island as a renegade province awaiting reunification, by force if necessary.

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