'We absolutely support the decision': China's military units back Xi Jinping's plan to cut 300,000 troops
All of China’s military units have pledged their support for President Xi Jinping’s announcement that troop numbers will be cut by 300,000 by the end of 2017, the mainland’s military newspaper says.
The PLA Daily published a commentary on Friday combining pledges from the heads of the army’s four headquarters, seven key land troops’ military area commands, air force, navy, the strategic missile force, paramilitary police, military academies and grass-roots officers.
All of them said they publicly supported the party’s leadership’s efforts to achieve its dream of “building a strong army”, the newspaper reported.
[We] absolutely support the decision made by the Communist Party and Central Military Commission chairman Xi and promise to learn unswerving adherence to the principle that the party controls the armed forces
“[We] absolutely support the decision made by the Communist Party and Central Military Commission chairman Xi and promise to learn unswerving adherence to the principle that the party controls the armed forces,” said the commentary, citing party heads of the seven key military commands in Beijing, Shenyang, Lanzhou, Jinan, Nanjing, Guangzhou and Chengdu.
“[We will resolutely obey the orders, regardless of who will be dismissed, and whatever benefit or influence may be lost [by those that lose their jobs].”
All seven key People’s Liberation Army’s military commands – the main bases of the land forces – are believed to be targets of the cuts in personnel.
The reduction in personnel would be centred on phasing out outdated equipment, simplifying administrative and non-combat roles and “adjusting and improving military structure”, defence ministry spokesman Yang Yujun said on Thursday, adding it would be expected to be completed by late 2017.
Leaders from the air force, navy, strategic missile force, armed police and three key military academies said the reduction of 300,000 personnel would mean pooling more resources to speed up the build-up of information technology in the army, which will help improve the combat capability of soldiers.
Party leaders from the departments of the General Staff, General Political, Logistics and General Armaments said the reduction in personnel demonstrated China’s sincerity in pursuing world peace and seeking a common ground with other countries.
