China subtracts 1 million from Army to add to other forces

China will downsize its 2.3 million-strong People's Liberation Army to under one million as the world's largest military effected its biggest troop reduction in history to bolster its navy and strategic missile forces, the official media reported

People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers. Representation pic

China will downsize its 2.3 million-strong People's Liberation Army to under one million as the world's largest military effected its biggest troop reduction in history to bolster its navy and strategic missile forces, the official media reported.

The massive troop reduction is part of the restructuring of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and evenly proportion the army and other services, the PLA Daily, the official newspaper of the Chinese military, reported. The PLA will increase the numbers of other services, including navy and missile forces, it said.

Jun Zhengping Studio, a Chinese social WeChat account run by the newspaper published an article on Tuesday on structural reform in the military, saying, The report said, "This is the first time that active PLA army personnel would be reduced to below one million." It added that the number of troops in the PLA Navy, PLA Strategic Support Force and the PLA Rocket Force will be increased, while the PLA Air Force's active service personnel will remain the same.

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