Chinese Army stresses recruit quality over quantity
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E-mail CNTV, August 10, 2015
Military recruitment is in full swing across China. This year, the Ministry of National Defense is focusing on people with a high school diploma and above. But not all graduates see the military as a viable career.
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Chinese Army stresses recruit quality over quantity |
CCTV reporter Han Bin was given special access to a recruitment post in Tianjin. There he found that despite preferential policies, recruiting the best candidates remains a challenge.
China's military is looking for well-educated recruits during the annual recruitment drive.
"Our target is that 50 percent of total recruitment be composed of college graduates in major cities. This goal is quite hard to achieve, as the number of colleges is limited. But the proportion of recruits with higher education is on the rise," said Yan Musheng, director of People's Armed Police of Beichen, Tianjin.
There are numerous health exam centers across the country. Military officials have confirmed that the army has created a package of preferential policies to attract well-educated recruits. And that includes further relaxing physical standards.
Zhang He, 20, is a graduate from a local vocational college. Unlike most of his classmates, he wants to join the army. He says he is not afraid of war. And he is ready to give more than blood in the future.
"Joining the army has always been my dream for as long as I was a boy. I liked to watch TV soaps about soldiers' lives, over and over. I want to be part of them and become a real man," Zhang said.
The military is trying new ways to appeal to young people. The PLA Air Force tells them the sky is the limit.
"The army's overall weapons system has undergone great changes, especially over the past 20 years. Without a sufficient educational background and understanding of modern technology, you can hardly operate them, "said General Qiao Liang, professor of National Defense College.
"To turn high-quality recruits into qualified soldiers and officers requires that the Chinese army to improve its management and philosophy during its transformation. The army has taken a crucial step to recruit well-educated people."
"Yet it's only the preliminary step of an ongoing process in perfecting an advanced management system."
China has compulsory military service. It is rarely enforced, because of the high number of volunteers. But now the focus is on quality, not quantity.
Zhang knows the military does not seem to offer attractive long-term careers. But he says it is a good place to start.
"I've just entered society from college. Finding a job is very hard. A few years of experience in the army could bring some positive changes to my life," Zhang said.
For today's PLA soldiers, strong bodies are not enough. The army's transformation will decide the heights they can reach.
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