The military said that soldiers should focus more on improving their combat skills than in dealing with paid public service, which could open opportunities for corruption. (Photo : SRBdevis2000/YouTube)
The latest fight against corruption sparks anew, and this time, the military leads the battle.
The Central Military Commission (CMC) starts to end paid public services to concentrate more on combat-related matters and help curb corruption in the military, reported the Xinhua News Agency.
The CMC resolves to terminate military paid services of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and the People’s Armed Police Force in three years’ time, according to the Global News.
Military units cannot anymore enter into new contracts. The new CMC directive does not also allow them to extend expired contracts.
The government expects all units to “fully implement” the order, according to Xinhua.
Principles and measures accompany the directive in case the outcome would create problems.
The CMC circular said that the decision is “an important political task.”
According to Gong Fangbin, a professor at the Beijing-based PLA National Defense University, public services cover those activities by the military “that do not pose a security risk,” such as its operation of its own hotels and hospitals, reported the Global Times
Gong said that the military should concentrate on national defense and divert its attention away from paid services, which “can sometimes encourage corruption.”
Gong added that if the military’s focus gets directed to national defense, it can lead to an improvement in the readiness of the military in combat.
The military also presented other reforms in the second half of 2015, according to Xinhua.
It now turned its attention on opening additional barracks.
PLA’s media outlet PLA Daily said that the move aims to increase the locals’ knowledge about national defense, to ignite their sense of patriotism and to make them identify themselves with the military, reported Xinhua.
The military will organize a summer camp at the PLA Rocket Force barracks for students based in the western areas of the country.
Inaugurated on Dec. 31, 2015 in Beijing by President Xi Jinping, the PLA Rocket Force looks after the nuclear arsenal of the country, according to The Diplomat.
