China will centralise management of its reserve force as part of efforts to ensure the Communist Party’s absolute leadership of the military and build a world-class army, the official Xinhua News Agency reported on Sunday.

Starting July 1, the reserve force, which is part of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), will fall under the direct leadership of the central government and the Central Military Commission, Xinhua said.

Currently, the reserve force is under the dual leadership of the PLA and local Communist Party committees and governments, according to the website of China’s ministry of national defence.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is chairman of the Central Military Commission.