Beijing/UNI: Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for boosting the capacities of the national army, the Chinese Defence Ministry said on Monday.

"Xi called for improving the quality and level of combat readiness, increasing training in key and complex issues, as well as strengthening new combat abilities," the defence ministry said in a statement.

The Chinese leader also noted the importance of comprehensive strengthening of "party building" within the armed forces and of maintaining a high degree of integrity, unity, security and stability of the troops.

China is holding a joint ground forces exercise with Singapore from late August until mid-September to strengthen practical cooperation between both states' armies and increase the level of real combat training of the troops.