Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday highlighted the importance of space assets, calling them national strategic assets that need to be properly managed and protected.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks when inspecting a military base in northwest China's Shaanxi Province on Wednesday.

Recognizing the military base's long-term contribution to China's aerospace industry development, Xi called on officers to accelerate innovative development, optimize organization patterns to adapt to the growing needs of space launch and to enhance efficiency.

Space assets are national strategic assets, Xi stressed, urging officers to comprehensively strengthen protection capabilities, disaster recovery and backup, invulnerability and survivability, and information protection capabilities.

He also asked the officers to improve space traffic management to ensure the smooth operation of the space system.

Calling for more international cooperation on space security, Xi said he expects officers to enhance the efficiency of space crisis management and comprehensive management.

(Cover: Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks when inspecting a military base in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, September 15, 2021. /Xinhua)