The 2.3 million-strong Chinese military which is the world’s largest will see a 300,000 troop reduction, President Xi Jinping announced on Thursday, the fourth military downsizing by the communist giant since <g data-gr-id="36">1980s</g>.
“The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China is the people’s army. All its officers, men and women must bear in mind their responsibility of serving the people whole- heartedly, faithfully fulfil the sacred duty of protecting the nation’s security and people’s well-being, and carry out the noble mission of upholding world peace,” he said.
“Here, I announce that China will cut the number of its troops by 300,000,” the General Secretary of the ruling Communist Party and the Commander-in-Chief of the PLA said addressing a massive military parade held to commemorate 70th anniversary of the victory against Japan in World War II.
The reduction is regarded as part of efforts by the PLA, which operates with the annual defence budget of USD 145 billion, the second highest after the US, to streamline its force as it launched unprecedented modernisation with new weapons and technology.
With 2.3 million, China now has the world’s largest active-duty military, including 850,000 ground forces, according to a government paper published in 2013. After Xi’s announcement, Defence Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun said the troop cuts will be affected by the end of 2017 in an effort to build slimmer but stronger armed forces.
Yang said the move will mainly target troops equipped with outdated armaments, administrative staff and <g data-gr-id="30">non</g>- combatant personnel, to optimise the structure of Chinese forces, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Yang said the reform will adopt a step-by-step approach and will be accomplished by the end of 2017. He said the decision is in line with the current situation of the state and military.
“Chinese armed forces will be slimmer but more capable and their composition more scientific,” Yang said.
This will be China’s fourth military reduction since the 1980s. In 1985, China downsized its army by more than 1 million, the largest cut ever.
Even after the reduction, China’s military will still be the world’s largest which meets China’s practical
needs, Yang said. Aside from safeguarding national unity and territorial integrity, China needs a military to undertake non-military tasks such as disaster relief, peacekeeping and international rescue, he said.
China flexes muscles with exemplary WW-II victory parade
In an unprecedented show of military might, China on Thursday displayed long-range “aircraft carrier-killers” and latest weaponry to mark the 70th anniversary of its victory over Japan in World War II but made a surprise announcement of slashing troop numbers by 3 lakh. Amid bitter territorial disputes with neighbours, the 2.3-million strong Chinese military put up a well-coordinated show rolling out its latest armaments ranging from intercontinental ballistic missiles to medium-long range bombers in the parade at the sprawling Tiananmen Square here.
“Here, I announce that China will cut the number of its troops by 300,000,” President Xi Jinping said in an unexpected announcement. Flanked by Russian President Vladimir Putin, South Korean President Park Geun-<g data-gr-id="60">hye</g> and around 30 other world leaders like UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Minister of State for External Affairs General VK Singh, Chinese President Xi minced no words in targeting Japan for the WWII excess in which he said over 35 million Chinese suffered casualties.