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China’s military top brass called to front lines for ‘field research’ to fix rank-and-file problems
- PLA Daily tells senior officers to investigate day-to-day challenges of troops in what analysts say is part of larger anti-corruption drive
- Observers say it is also an effort to rebuild the army’s traditions and improve morale and combat readiness amid tough security challenges
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Commanders and senior officers of the People’s Liberation Army must go to the front lines to ensure the day-to-day problems of the rank and file are resolved in a timely manner, the PLA Daily said in an editorial.
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The call, published on Tuesday, mostly addressed the importance of conducting field studies, but it is also part of an ongoing anti-corruption campaign and an effort by the top brass to rebuild the army’s traditions and improve combat readiness, military observers say.
Department heads and Communist Party leaders of PLA units should conduct field studies, understand the real-life problems of soldiers on the front lines and come up with innovative solutions, the editorial said.
It also said senior officers must hear directly from grass-roots soldiers instead of relying on information collected from second-hand sources.
“Members of the Central Military Commission should take the lead in carrying out investigations and research by organising seminars and exchange [activities],” it said, referring to the PLA’s top decision-making body, which is chaired by President Xi Jinping.
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