[Editor’s Introduction: China continues to reform and purge members of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to eliminate corruption, ensure its loyalty to the party, and improve its effectiveness. One key objective is to destroy the networks that two former (now disgraced) vice-chairmen of the Central Military Commission, Guo Boxiong and Xu Caihou, built over at least twenty years. Inspection teams are rooting out their associates at the PLA general headquarters and beyond, and destroying unofficial venues for collusion and corruption. In a raid on Xu’s villa investigators found calligraphy and paintings from the Tang, Yuan and Ming dynasties, and other antiques. The discovery prompted a crackdown on unofficial groups that retired leaders use to preserve their influence and enrich themselves. However, many doubt the effectiveness of the military's internal investigations.]
October 8:
China’s military will replace its Soviet-style command structure with a U.S-style integrated joint command system. “The PLA's outdated structure is the biggest obstacle to developing President Xi’s vision of a modern army capable of defending the country and leading it to victory,” the official China National Defense News reports. "The overhaul would not only aggravate existing disputes [within the PLA] but could also raise new problems. [Still,] we should not stick to yesterday's paradigm when considering tomorrow's warfare." The PLA should learn from the U.S. military’s control and communications, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. Retired PLA major general Xu Guangyu said: “The article is the most explicit statement highlighting the need to learn from the Western model. It's foreseeable that such a big step would face strong resistance inside the army.”
October 9:
The State Council and CMC have approved a pension and insurance scheme under which all veterans decommissioned since last October would receive a one-time payout based on length of service. Local authorities would help them find new jobs and provide financial support. The announcement comes in the wake of last month’s declaration by President Xi Jinping that the PLA would cut 300,000 troops, of which up to 70 percent would be from the ground forces. Additional military reforms include the consolidation of the seven military command regions into four, the expansion of the air force and navy, emphasis on computerized command, and merging and scrapping some military departments, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reports. Detailed instructions were posted by the PLA Daily.
October 12:
The CMC has dispatched anti-graft inspection teams to the PLA’s four general headquarters – the General Staff Department, General Political Department, General Logistics Department and General Armaments Department – to “maintain pressure” and target senior military officers. The inspection teams were sent on first-round visits to the seven military commands in December 2013 and began a second round of inspections in February. The teams began inspecting the General Armaments Department on September 28 and will conclude on November 10. Xu Qiliang, vice-chairman of the CMC, is heading the investigations, SCMP reports.
October 13:
Due to "political sensitivity," PLA personnel are banned from joining overseas NGOs unless on military assignment, the official Xinhua news agency reports. "As the military must be highly unified and united, servicemen entering such overseas organizations may be politically sensitive and thus require strict scrutiny before approval," said a source from a leading group in charge of military personnel education. The crackdown on military personnel organizing or taking part in improper social organizations began last month. Unregistered groups or organizations established by individuals within the military are to be disbanded and violations will be strictly dealt with.
October 14:
The party is restricting PLA generals’ off-duty activities, banning them from any organization or cultural associations not registered with the Civil Affairs Ministry or under party control, SCMP reports. Clubs have become conduits for graft and cronyism. The PLA Daily identified calligraphy, painting, literary, or photography clubs as well as any overseas organizations and research institutions among those that cannot be joined without permission. For instance, a member seeking favor from a general could buy his calligraphy at a high price. Generals also retain maintain their influence via such organizations. The Calligraphy and Painting Studies Center of Chinese Generals’ website, for instance, lists former CMC vice-chairman Chi Haotian its honorary director.