The People’s Liberation Army is revamping its education system, the latest step in China’s military modernisation drive. President Xi Jinping, who is also chairman of the Central Military Commission, on Monday approved a military education guideline that outlines the new training system. While details have not been released, the guideline demands a holistic approach, combining academic studies, military and vocational training, to prepare future servicemen and women, according to a Xinhua report.
It is a departure from the previous emphasis on non-combat-related aspects of training such as theoretical and political studies, which was not an effective way to prepare soldiers for a more modern Chinese force, according to Zhou Chenming, a Beijing-based military expert.
“China’s military education system has failed to train personnel for the demands of a modernised force, as some universities are teaching general knowledge without a special focus on the military. Read more…So when those soldiers are dispatched to the front line, they need to learn from scratch,” he said.
