China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) is to hive off many of
its logistics services to private contractors in the latest drive
for efficiency.
Liao Xilong, head of the PLA general logistics department and
member of the Central Military Commission (CMC), on Tuesday
announced a 12-point plan for reform according to a decision made
by CMC Chairman Hu Jintao.
The plan includes:
-- allowing the PLA to rent commercial vehicles for official
activities;
-- allowing service personnel to use civil telecommunications
services for personal purposes;
-- employing civilian schools to train technicians;
-- "demilitarizing" cultural institutions, including schools for
the children of military personnel;
-- privatizing the management of barracks for troops stationed
in large and middle-sized cities;
-- hiring private warehouses for the storage of general-purpose
materials;
-- reducing the number of hotels, guest houses and training
centers run by the PLA to the minimum.
-- scaling down the number of the PLA's equipment repair
units;
-- transforming the PLA's research and development institutions
into civil and military dual-purpose organizations.
(Xinhua News Agency May 23, 2007)