The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) set up an expert committee on Thursday that will offer meteorological advice and technical support to the PLA when it undertakes combat training and disaster prevention and relief work.

An official with the PLA General Staff Meteorological Bureau said: "Extreme weather conditions have threatened the safety of soldiers and outfits and affected the effectiveness of weapons and maneuvers in recent years."

Climate change had caused rising sea levels, affecting the army's coastal and island strategies and battlefield construction, he said.

The specialist panel, composed of well-known meteorologists and academicians, aimed to "serve the army that conducts various tasks" and "explore the impact that climate change exerts on military activities" so as to offer reliable meteorological decisions.

(Xinhua News Agency November 8, 2008)