The Air Force of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) recruited more than 1,400 pilot students in 2007, according to the air force's Pilot Cadet Enrolment Work Bureau on Tuesday.

 

"More than 1,300 middle-school graduates and 100 sophomores and universities graduates have been selected from 70,000 candidates after they passed required exams, and physical and psychological tests," said Colonel Sui Guosheng, director of the bureau.

 

The selection process took place in November last year and was open to graduates of more than 7,000 senior middle schools and also to second-year science and engineering students in 200 civilian universities, and graduates of 200 civilian and 48 military universities nationwide, Sui said.

 

Upon graduation, middle school graduates will receive a bachelor's degree in military science, and sophomores and university graduates will receive their bachelor's degrees both in military science and in their original major, Sui said.

 

The PLA Air Force has recruited over 25,000 pilot students from middle schools and 800 pilot students from university since the middle school candidates were required to pass the national university entrance examination in 1987 and the Air Force started to directly recruit pilot students from universities in 2000.

 

(Xinhua News Agency July 25, 2007)