Fall in line: PLA Daily orders Chinese soldiers to obey Communist Party commands

The military’s mouthpiece has ordered officers to toe the Communist Party line in a volley of commentaries apparently aimed at countering internal resistance to personnel cuts.

Military analysts said the commentaries indicated President Xi Jinping’s military reform was still meeting some resistance from vested interests.

The PLA Daily has published five commentaries in the past two weeks that call for the entire military to obey the party’s order.

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In September, Xi, who is also chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission (CMC), announced 300,000 troops would be cut, taking the force to 2 million by 2017. Up to 170,000 officers are slated to be axed. The reduction is part of Xi’s push to turn the army into a nimble, modern force on par with the best of the West.

“Our military has endured several rounds of streamlining and restructuring since the 1950s, with one million personnel cut in 1985 … and every time, all officers and soldiers obeyed the arrangement of the CMC with pleasure,” read the fifth commentary, published yesterday. “Today, despite the great changes in social context … obeying the party’s command and central leadership’s order is still the army’s most valuable spirit.”

Hong Kong-based based military observer Liang Guoliang said the articles had hinted that some senior officials were trying to challenge Xi’s military reform.

“The PLA’s spirit has been fading as many senior officials just care about their personal benefits, with some creating their own interest networks and groups,” Liang said. “It’s very dangerous if those interest groups join together to challenge Xi’s power.”