Chinese army to stop offering paid public services

Beijing, March 28: China is set to halt all military-provided paid public services as part of its highly-anticipated military reform, which analysts said would help prevent corruption and enhance combat capabilities, the media reported on Monday.

China's Central Military Commission (CMC) recently announced an end to all paid services of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the People's Armed Police Force, the Global Times reported.

According to the announcement, the CMC planned to completely stop paid services within three years.

The announcement said all the military units should halt new projects or contracts involving paid services, and that expired contracts should not be renewed.

Chinese forces were engaged in business activities to make up for insufficient military spending since the 1980s.

In 1998, the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee required the military and armed police to halt all business activities, only allowing some designated organisations and industries to provide paid services.

IANS