Chinese army will employ nonmilitary personnel on contract basis, seen as a major reform in the army personnel system, according to regulation adopted late last month.

The Regulation on Nonmilitary Personnel in the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) was endorsed by Premier Wen Jiabao and Chairman of the Central Military Commission Hu Jintao on June 23.

According to the regulation, nonmilitary personnel are employed to work at special technical posts in institutions above the army level or non-battle corps stationed in remote areas.

They will also work at non-special technical posts such as administration affairs and logistics service.

The regulation says that the army is allowed to enroll nonmilitary personnel on the open labor market, assign them posts and responsibilities according to contracts and solve labor disputes by legal means to build a flexible personnel system valuing selecting excellent talents through competition.

The regulation, composed of nine chapters and 55 articles, outlines that nonmilitary personnel are obliged to go to battlefield, participate in military manoeuvre and deal with emergencies when the army needs them to do so.

Enrollment is under preparation and will soon start in the whole army.

(Xinhua News Agency July 5, 2005)