A new PLA
What's a modernizing country to do with a peasant army? Maureen Fan wrote in the Washington Post about efforts in China to recruit a new kind of soldier.China Scouts Colleges to Fill Ranks of Modern Army
"The fliers circulating last month on the campuses of China's most prestigious universities showed three soldiers positioned against a Chinese flag and an appeal that read in part: "Carry Your Pen to the Army to Become More Accomplished."
"In ancient times, the phrase was 'Throw Away Your Pen and Join the Army,' a challenge to China's intellectuals to stop wasting time and help defend the country. Now, the People's Liberation Army is recruiting college students in an ambitious modernization program designed to attract smart soldiers who can handle sophisticated equipment and transform the 2.3 million-strong force into a high-tech adversary...
"Domestically, the army already has come a long way. A military that 18 years ago was most readily associated with the shooting of protesters in Tiananmen Square is increasingly helping in relief efforts after floods and other natural disasters. The army has also been the driving force behind recent achievements in space exploration...
"One of the most important aspects of the modernization is a huge effort to shed the impoverished farmhands who have traditionally signed on as a way to ensure three solid meals a day...
"Recruits are lured by financial incentives and programs that allow students to return to university after two years in the army with preferential standing for graduate school...
"Undergraduates from outside Beijing may be offered Beijing residency...
"In addition, with an increasingly competitive job market, a growing number of college graduates are finding it difficult to secure a stable job with a good salary. Many are beginning to think two years of army experience will give them advantages over other candidates...
posted by Ken Wedding @ 6:00 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home