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China has proposed changes to the country’s conscription regulations to enlist retired Chinese military personnel during a war situation. According to draft regulatory changes released by the Ministry of Veterans Affairs on the weekend, military veterans would be a target group and could rejoin their original unit or be posted to a similar position elsewhere.
As per a local media report, the proposed changes to the country’s conscription regulations have signaled for the first time China’s plans to boost its troops during armed conflict by bringing officers out of retirement and onto the front lines. China is using its social media account to gather public feedback on the draft regulations. The country has not revised conscription plans since 2001. The regulations were initially introduced in 1985, as per the report
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Under the regulations, the State Council or the Central Military Commission would issue mobilisation orders and hand responsibility for drafting soldiers to government and military agencies at various levels. Authorities would have to help the veterans join up with those units. Besides wartime enlistment, the draft also covers the creation of an inter ministerial system for conscription, and efforts to institutionalise the process as part of China’s digital government build-up.
The report quoting a Chinese expert said enlisting veterans in the military can quickly boost troops’ ability if China fights a war. This new realization comes against the backdrop of China marking the centenary of the Chinese Communist Party. State-owned publications have released details of a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan. In his rousing speech on centenary celebration at Tiananmen square, Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated an “unshakable commitment” to unify China. The release of the draft also comes as China’s ties with major Western countries and its neighbours decline over various issues, from territorial claims to human rights.
In January, Chinese President Xi Jinping, also heading the Central Military Commission, stressed the need for “full-time combat readiness” and said the People’s Liberation Army must use front line frictions to improve troops’ abilities. In March, Xi said the Chinese military must be “prepared to respond” to complex and difficult situations as the country grapples with security challenges.