World Bulletin [ China warns army against waste, ill-discipline ]
China warns army against waste, ill-discipline
Beijing is usually tight-lipped about problems in the army which has enjoyed rapidly rising budgets in recent years.
Monday, 18 May 2009 07:45
Chinese President Hu Jintao has warned People's Liberation Army officers to stick to Communist Party values and stop squandering money, in an unusually frank
attack on ill-discipline in the growing military.
The warning came in a directive approved by Hu from the Central Military Commission, which ensures the ruling Communist Party's control of the PLA, and told top-ranking officers not to stray politically.
"Confronted with increasingly intense and complex circumstances in the sphere of ideological struggle, senior and middle-ranking officers must be staunch in their ideals and beliefs, always remaining politically clear-headed," said the directive, quoted in the official People's Daily on Monday.
Beijing is usually tight-lipped about problems in the PLA, which has enjoyed rapidly rising budgets in recent years, and this document did not specify any military scandals or problems that may have riled Hu and his commanders.
But it made plain the Party leadership is worried that not all its extra spending on defence modernisation is being used as intended.
A PLA navy vice admiral was executed for corruption after he was arrested in 2006 for taking millions of dollars in payoffs from developers. Around the Chinese capital, many high-end cars display military number plates, often parked in front of expensive shops and restaurants.
"Strictly abide by and protect Party discipline, and vigorously address the problem of orders not being enforced and bans not implemented," the directive said. "Vigorously address the problems of extravagance and waste and of selfish pleasure-seeking."
China's defence spending has risen in recent years as it seeks to turn a bloated and outdated force into a high-tech military able to project power well beyond its borders.
This year's official military budget will grow to 480.7 billion yuan ($70 billion), a 14.9 percent rise over last year.
Strengthened accountability rules and inspections will be introduced to scrutinise PLA officers, said the document. It follows stricter auditing rules announced last September.
