China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) has started its winter recruitment campaign introducing nationwide psychological tests for the first time, according to an army conference held?Friday.

The recruitment this year focused on rural middle school graduates, urban junior college graduates and vocational school graduates, said a senior officer with the general staff of the PLA at a national teleconference.

"Higher standards will be imposed to new recruits so as to meet the challenges of the accelerated pace of Chinese military reform," he said.

Physical examination will continue to include AIDS and drug tests, and psychological tests will be more widely promoted across the country, he said.

PLA recruits are usually young men aged between 18 and 20 and female high school graduates 18 or 19. The age limit extends to 22for young men with higher education, according to the recruitment office of the Ministry of National Defense.

The office requires urban male recruits to have at least high school education and favors university students. For those from rural areas, elementary education is a must.

The PLA recruits nationwide once a year in winter.

(Xinhua News Agency September 10, 2007)