China rolls out fresh wartime recruitment rules, with veterans a priority

Amid rising geopolitical tensions, especially in the Taiwan Strait, Beijing is updating its military regulations

The latest amendment is part of a number of changes to adjust and improve decades-old legislation

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A new chapter on wartime recruitment has been added to China’s military regulations and will come into effect on May 1. Photo: EPA

Published: 2:00pm, 13 Apr 2023Updated: 3:56pm, 13 Apr 2023

Beijing has released new rules for the recruitment of soldiers in wartime, with veterans listed as a priority, in what a military analyst has described as an enhancement of PLA combat readiness for a war over Taiwan.

The regulations, made public on Wednesday, said recruitment should “focus on preparing for war” and increase efficiency by calling up “high calibre” recruits.

They are part of an amendment to recruitment provisions passed earlier this month by the State Council and the Central Military Commission – China’s highest command body, headed by President Xi Jinping. The amendment will take effect on May 1.

For the first time, a separate chapter on wartime recruitment has been included in the regulations, which state that ex-servicemen would be prioritised and expected to join their original units or similar positions.

On Thursday, the CMC released a Q&A to explain the addition of the “wartime recruitment” chapter to the military regulations.

“In order to ensure the normal replacement of troops and the supplementary needs of soldiers in wartime, the regulations refer to the common practices of various countries ... and set up a special chapter to regulate the issue of wartime recruitment,” a CMC official said.