By Xinhua
Beijing : China has published a guideline for the development of a modern, efficient and flexible logistic sector for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) by 2020.
President Hu Jintao, who is also chairman of the Central Military Commission, recently signed the “Guideline on the Comprehensive Development of the Modern Logistic Sector” for the Army.
The army will complete modernization of the sector, which will help it fight and win wars in the age of Information Technology, according to the guideline.
The guideline, which went into effect Dec 12, would “greatly accelerate our Army’s logistic modernization,” said Lieutenant General Li Maifu, deputy director of the PLA General Logistic Department Monday.
The PLA started its logistic reform on a trial basis in 2004, and this April the Jinan Military Area Command adopted an integrated logistic supply for all its subordinate units.
For decades, the PLA had organized its own logistic supply. Now, under the guideline, the Army will introduce more and more civilian suppliers.
Around 5,200 barracks of the PLA have employed civilian suppliers for catering and medical services and 95 percent of the Army’s clothing and quilts are provided by civilian manufacturers.
The Army has downsized its logistic service staff by more than 60,000 as a result of reforms.