The Chinese military is closely examining its financial situation, with officials emphasizing the importance of controlling expenses as the PLA continues its advancements massive modernisation campaign.
"The nation’s economy is bolstering, yet the challenges associated with readiness for military conflict and the transformation of our forces remain substantial, requiring investment across numerous areas,” stated the provincial armed police force from Shandong Province in an editorial published in the PLA Daily on Wednesday.
Scarce resources ought to be concentrated on warfare readiness and battle involvement, emerging combat units, and critical aspects enhancing fighting power.
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Another comment credited to Zhang Zikun advised the People's Liberation Army (PLA) “to refrain from undertaking actions that disregard costs or the economic burden they impose.”
"The metric for contribution to combat efficiency should serve as our standard," stated Zhang. Although the PLA Daily didn’t clarify his position, earlier reports indicate that he holds an officer rank in the army.
He emphasized that the PLA must not only "track expenditures, monitor spending levels, and ensure compliance with regulations," but also assess whether funds were directed towards meeting critical operational requirements, addressing construction needs, and enhancing overall combat capabilities.
He likewise emphasized the importance of "maximizing the benefits from each penny spent."
On Monday, an article from the PLA National Defence University stated that the armed forces ought to "enhance the operational effectiveness of their organizational structure and aim for maximal output through minimal expenditure."
The appeals mirror statements made by President Xi Jinping to military officials at the National People's Congress in Beijing earlier this month.
Xi, who serves as the chair of the Central Military Commission (CMC), which oversees military decisions, stated that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) needs to enhance the "scientific distribution" of defense resource investments. This would ensure that these funds can be utilized more precisely.
He additionally urged for a crackdown on corruption within the armed forces .
"We ought to prioritize oversight, establish a comprehensive and efficient monitoring framework, enhance integrated inspections and collaborative audits, and conduct thorough investigations into corruption," Xi stated to the delegates.
Beijing is embarked on an initiative to create a "globally outstanding" contemporary military by the year 2050, with intentions of making significant progress toward this goal by 2027, which marks the Chinese People's Liberation Army’s hundredth anniversary.
To reach this objective, it continuously raises its defense budget, with expenditure expected to increase to 1.78 trillion yuan This year, there is a 7.2 percent rise from last year's budget of 1.67 trillion yuan.
However, as expenditures increase, worries grow that ongoing corruption within the military might undermine the PLA's fighting capability and impair its capacity to meet its objectives for 2050.
China has conducted an extensive anti-corruption drive that has resulted in the arrest of multiple high-ranking PLA officials, among them former defense ministers. Li Shangfu and his predecessor Wei Fenghe , and former CMC member Miao Hua.
The campaign has similarly engulfed China's defense sector, leading to the downfall of numerous executives.
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