Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday called for efforts to build the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy into a world-class force. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), made the remarks during a naval inspection in the South China Sea. A total of 48 naval vessels, 76 aircraft and more than 10,000 officers and soldiers participated in the largest PLA Navy parade since its founding.