Defense/Military - 68. page

The General Political Department, a chief political organ under the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the Chinese Communist Party, leads all Party and political activities of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). PLA Daily recently reported that the General Political Department will circulate a “Practical Handbook for the Chinese Military’s Party Branches.” Its purpose is to “further implement CMC Chairman Hu Jintao’s instructions and the requirement to strengthen grassroots Party organizations.” The Handbook is an addition to two recent CMC documents: “Regulations of the Work of Party Committees” and “Regulations of the Political Work of the PLA,” which are to be distributed in the PLA and the People’s Armed Police (PAP) as training materials for cadres of all ranks, from new recruits to college graduates.

Source: PLA Daily, March 22, 2011
http://www.chinamil.com.cn/jfjbmap/content/2011-03/22/content_53191.htm

At a National People’s Congress meeting on March 12, 2011, Hu Jintao, head of the Chinese Communist Party and Chair of the Central Military Committee, told a delegation of the People’s Liberation Army to “enhance the sense of opportunity, sense of urgency, and sense of historic mission. … Speed up military preparedness, resolutely safeguard the nation’s sovereignty, security, and interests, and resolutely safeguard the current important period of strategic opportunity for China’s development.” Hu also reemphasized the Party’s absolute leadership over the army, “(We) must constantly equip the officers and soldiers with socialist theories with Chinese characteristics, so as to ensure that all military personnel remain ideologically and politically alert and firm. (We) must unswervingly uphold the fundamental principles of the Party’s absolute leadership over the armed forces.”

Source: Xinhua, March 12, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2011-03/12/c_121179796.htm

On the morning of March 9, 2011, the Chinese Navy joined multi-nation anti-terrorist exercises along with Pakistan, Italy, and France in Karachi, Pakistan. The exercises tried to simulate how the Navy anti-terrorist team would respond to the task of rescuing “an abducted commercial ship” and identifying the suspects, while protecting the hostages.

Source: Xinhua, March 10, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-03/10/c_13771140.htm

This year, the PLA will see its third pay raise in the past six years. The pay raises range from 5% to 40% and will be retroactive to the second half of 2010. Non-commissioned officers will receive a 40% raise, while the average raise for officers will be 1,000 yuan (US$152). For example, a platoon lieutenant’s monthly pay will increase from 3,500 to 4,500 yuan (US$685) and a general’s monthly pay will increase from 21,000 to 22,000 yuan (US$3,348). Salaries vary in different services. For example, Army salaries are the lowest, followed by the Navy and Air Force, with the Second Artillery Corps, also known as the PLA’s Strategic Missile Forces, being the highest.

Source: Guangming Daily, March 2, 2011 reprint from Chongqing Morning
http://mil.gmw.cn/2011-03/02/content_1666423.htm

On February 15, 2011, Xinhua reported that a new PLA naval stealth missile boat (type 022) can attack distant targets in the ocean and is a deterrent for enemy boats in the South China Sea. This new speedy stealth missile boat, boasting a powerful firing range (maximum range of 150 km), is equipped with a number of features for covert operations.

China’s Central Military Commission’s General Political Department recently issued a “Study Provisions for CCP Members and Cadres in the Military” to all of the PLA armies and the armed police forces. The provision is to implement CMC President Hu Jintao’s instructions on “strengthening all levels of CCP committees’ study and building a high-quality, high-efficiency military leadership body.”

The "Study Provisions" are the basic guidelines for the military Party members and cadres to follow "under the new situation."

Source: Xinhua, February 14, 2011

http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-02/14/c_13731527.htm

People’s Daily reported on February 10, 2011, that the Chinese Navy recently underwent a series of personnel changes. A major characteristic of the changes was that many newly promoted officers have had experience in weaponry or have been leaders in naval institutions. The move reflects the strategic thinking of having a scientifically developed navy. This rearrangement of naval leadership involves more that 10 vice admirals and rear admirals. They are from naval headquarters and all fleets, naval bases, and institutions. The positions of Navy Chief of Staff, South Sea Fleet Commander, and East Sea Fleet Commander have all changed.

Source: People’s Daily, February, 10, 2011
http://military.people.com.cn/GB/42969/58519/13881992.html

Officials from the China Astronauts Research and Training Center reported on January 26, 2011, that China has just established its first national basic manned-space flight research project. The Ministry of Science and Technology approved the project, titled “research on astronauts operating capability, adaptability to change, and mechanisms for long-term space flight.” The project will focus on the impact on astronauts of weightlessness, the rapid shift between day and night, and living in a confined space. The research will be done from 2011 to 2015. The results are critical to China’s space station.

Source: Xinhua, January 26, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-01/26/c_121026078.htm