The General Staff Headquarters of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) has established an information technology department by regrouping its previously formed communications department.

Approved by President Hu Jintao and the Central Military Commission he heads, the formation of the IT department was a "key decision made from a strategic perspective," said Chen Bingde, chief of the PLA general staff.

Chen said the creation of the department was not just a name change, but a move that will optimize the way departmental duties are structured, with an overall goal of boosting the military's technological capabilities.

A founding ceremony for the department was held in Beijing on Thursday.

Hailing it as a landmark move in the development of China's military capabilities, the PLA Daily newspaper said in a Friday report that the formation of the IT department will help to improve the PLA's central management system.

According to military officials, Chinese military units above the corps level will also establish their own IT departments by regrouping their current communications departments.