China plans to downsize army to lowest strength in its history

STRATEGIC DRAWDOWN This is the first time that PLA Army personnel would be reduced to below one million

China will downsize its 2.3 million-strong People’s Liberation Army to under one million.

Besides its biggest troop reduction in history, the world’s largest military plans to bolster its navy and strategic missile forces, the official media reported.

The troop reduction is part of the restructuring of the People’s Liberation Army and evenly proportioning the army and other services, the PLA Daily reported. The PLA will increase the numbers of other services, including navy and missile forces, said the official newspaper of the Chinese military.

“This is the first time that active PLA Army personnel would be reduced to below one million.”

The article on structural reform in the military said: “The old military structure, where the army accounts for the vast majority, will be replaced after the reform.”

The number of troops in the PLA Navy, PLA Strategic Support Force, and the PLA Rocket Force would be increased, while the PLA Air Force’s active service personnel would remain the same.

“The reform is based on China’s strategic goals and security requirements. In the past, the PLA focused on ground battle and homeland defence, which will undergo fundamental changes,” said the article published on PLA Daily’s WeChat account.

China has cut down its defence spending in the past two years, with the military budget in 2017 remaining at 7%, the lowest hike in more than a decade.

Chinese President Xi Jinping wants a lean but modernised armed forces. In 2015, he had announced a reduction of 300,000 troops in the PLA.

Over the years, China has emerged as a major sea power and its disputes are more on seas than land. Of the 14 neighbours, China has land disputes only with India and Bhutan.

According to the Chinese defence ministry, PLA had about 850,000 combat troops in 2013.

“This reform will provide other services, including the PLA Rocket Force, Air Force, Navy and Strategic Support Force, with more resources and inputs, and the PLA will strengthen its capability to conduct overseas missions,” defence expert Xu Guangyu was quoted as saying by Global Times.

“The PLA must be capable of spotting overseas threats and destroying hostile forces thousands of kilometers away before they enter our 12 nautical mile territorial waters,” Xu said.