China’s military to scrap paid-for public shows by PLA song and dance troupes as it bids to create leaner, more professional armed forces

China’s military is to scrap putting on paid-for public shows by its entertainment troupes and offering civilians medical treatment in its hospitals for cash as part of sweeping reforms to modernise and increase the efficiency of the PLA.

The reforms were outlined after a three-day military conference that ended on Thursday.

READ MORE: China vows military reform by 2020, with plans for new anti-corruption watchdog in PLA

Defence Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun told a press briefing that the overhaul, which includes modernising the command structure of the world's largest armed forces, would not change China’s “defensive” national defence policy, according to a transcript of his comments.

The PLA was banned from owning and operating business or doing trade in 1998, but some units and departments are allowed to sell their services to the public.

These services include military hospitals taking on civilian patients, military warehouses leased for commercial firms’ use and PLA song and dance troupes performing professionally for public audiences.

About 90 per cent of patients in military hospitals are civilians, according to a Beijing Times report in April