New | ‘Internet addicts’ will be denied entry to Chinese military in Hebei
Enlistment officials did not say what their techniques are in screening out the computer-obsessed
Want to join the Chinese army? Make sure you are not an internet addict.
The People’s Liberation Army in northern Hebei province has introduced a measure to screen out internet-obsessed recruits as a test for their political discipline, according to a Hebei newspaper.
The Yanzhao Metropolis Daily said the enlistment authorities would check whether prospective PLA recruits are addicted to web surfing or video games as part of their “political assessment”.
The PLA, under the command of President Xi Jinping, requires soldiers to undergo political assessments before they join the army. It generally involves examining the applicant’s background, political affiliation, history of their next of kin, as well as possible criminal records.
An enlistment official from the province said that internet addiction would “severely affect [a soldier’s] work and study, and people who have this addiction cannot be appointed to politically important positions in the army”.
"Politically important" positions include those which involve protecting important officials and important departments, according to the report.
