The lead news item on the state-owned CCTV on July 19, 2017, showed Chinese President Xi Jinping presenting new flags to the Academy of Military Science (AMS), National Defence University (NDU) and the National University of Defense Technology. He said in order to build a world-leading first-class military research institution, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Academy of Military Science, as the leading force of scientific research in the military, should meet the new demands of military research and further combine military theories and technologies. Xi Jinping stressed that the PLA's National Defense University is a "significant base to cultivate talent for joint operations" as well as PLA officers, and should push forward innovation in its education, research and management to become a top comprehensive college on unified command. He urged the National University of Defense Technology, to follow the worldwide trends of the development of military science, and work harder to make key technological breakthroughs, in order to build a world-class institution of higher education.

(Comment: There are now 43 military education institutions, including two -- the National Defense University of PLA and the National University of Defense Technology -- directly under the CMC, 35 specialized in specific armed services, and six of armed police forces.)