China’s military put to the crisis test in coronavirus call-up

The PLA has been sent in to staff hospitals and distribute medical supplies, reprising disaster relief roles it has played before

After decades of economic growth, civilian health system not able to meet demand, analyst says

Reading Time:3 minutes

Military medical staff fly into Wuhan on an air force transport plane last weekend. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 9:00am, 9 Feb 2020Updated: 5:32pm, 14 Feb 2020

The coronavirus crisis has prompted one of the Chinese military’s biggest mobilisations of medical personnel in decades, putting its crisis management skills to the test.

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has sent at least 3,500 medical staff to Wuhan, in Hubei province at the heart of the outbreak, in the past week.

Many of the personnel were reportedly part of the responses to the severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) outbreak in 2003 and the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, among other crises.

“It’s the biggest military mobilisation of navy, ground and air forces, as well as medical staff from military-affiliated hospitals and medical students since China started its opening-up reforms in 1978,” Beijing-based military expert Zhou Chenming said.

“This mission could be seen as a real test of the PLA’s joint operation capability since the military was overhauled,” Zhou said, referring to reforms in the last few years to streamline and modernise the PLA.

In 2003, the PLA sent 1,200 medical staff to a temporary Sars hospital called Xiaotangshan in Beijing.