PLA in PR offensive on conversion into hi-tech military
A recent campaign to cut troop numbers by 200,000 was designed to advance the People's Liberation Army's transformation into a more hi-tech fighting force, military experts said yesterday.
In an apparent charm offensive, leading military analyst Major-General Peng Guangqian and Teng Jianqun , from a military-backed think-tank, offered their views on the mainland's latest military cuts to two mainstream media outlets - CCTV and Sina - two days in a row.
The shedding of 200,000 troops, first announced in 2003 and completed by the end of last year, has left the PLA with 2.3 million personnel. It was the 10th and smallest reduction in 55 years.
News of the campaign's completion was revealed by the Liberation Army Daily this month.
Andrei Chang, a Hong Kong-based specialist on Chinese military affairs, said the interviews with Major-General Peng and Mr Teng, research director of the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association, were a public relations tactic to spread positive messages about the military cuts.
'China's military has realised the importance of public relations,' he said. 'The latest cut hasn't assuaged the international community's perception of the China threat because China's military spending has been increasing.
'Foreign press didn't give a positive response to the cuts when the news came out. It looks like they think it's time to explain the significance of it to the public.'
In a podcast interview with Sina yesterday, Mr Teng said the cutback had produced a more streamlined structure that would improve the flow of information.
Of those sacked in the latest cutback, 170,000, or 80 per cent, were military officers.
Major-General Peng suggested the military would have to reduce the proportion of ground troops and increase the role of the navy and missile forces in order to cope with hi-tech warfare in the future.
'Wars in the future will require more sophisticated [skills] in sea and air strikes,' he said.
The ratio of ground forces has dropped to its lowest point in PLA history after the latest reduction.
