Approved by Jiang Zemin, chairman of the Central Military Commission, a total of 1,200 military doctors and nurses have been transferred from all major military units to Beijing's designated SARS hospitals.

To date, 333 military medical staff from Beijing Military Area Command, Shenyang Military Area Command and Jinan Military Area Command have arrived in a SARS patient reception hospital located in Xiaotangshan, a suburb of Beijing.

Liao Xilong, member of the Central Military Commission and director-general of the General Logistics Department of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, visited the Xiaotangshan Hospital Monday afternoon to meet the first batch of military medical staff, encouraging them to make greater contribution to fighting SARS and safeguarding people's health and life.

The Central Military Commission has attached great importance to the emergency transferring of military medical staff to Beijing, stressing it is a top priority for the Communist Party of China and the whole country to fight SARS and that it is an unshirkable duty of the army to provide medical aid to local hospitals. The whole army is required to select capable medical staff to provide sufficient guarantees and complete successfully the task of fighting SARS.

The designated SARS treatment hospital has 1,000 patient beds. The 1,200 military doctors and nurses will arrive at Xiaotangshan in three groups and be all at their new posts before May 5.

(PLA Daily April 29, 2003)